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Cell cycle arrest enhances CD8+ T cell effector function by potentiating glucose metabolism and IL-2 signaling

Nature Immunology, vol. 27, pp. 463–475

Abstract

Abstract Cell cycle-inhibiting chemotherapeutics are widely used in cancer treatment. Although the primary aim is to block tumor cell proliferation, their clinical efficacy also involves specific effector CD8 + T cells that undergo synchronized proliferation and differentiation. How CD8 + T cells are programmed when these processes are uncoupled, as occurs during cell cycle inhibition, is unclear. Here, we show that activated CD8 + T cells arrested in their cell cycle can still undergo effector differentiation. Cell cycle-arrested CD8 + T cells become metabolically reprogrammed into a highly energized state, enabling rapid and enhanced proliferation upon release from arrest. This metabolic imprinting is driven by increased nutrient uptake, storage and processing, leading to enhanced glycolysis in cell cycle-arrested cells. The nutrient sensible mTORC1 pathway, however, was not crucial. Instead, elevated interleukin-2 production during arrest activates STAT5 signaling, which supports expansion of the energized CD8 + T cells following arrest. Transient arrest in vivo enables superior CD8 + T cell-mediated tumor control across models of immune checkpoint blockade, adoptive cell transfer and therapeutic vaccination. Thus, transient uncoupling of CD8 + T cell differentiation from cell cycle progression programs a favorable metabolic state that supports the efficacy of effector T cell-mediated immunotherapies.

Authors 28

  1. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  2. Leiden University Medical Center · Oncode Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Department of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  3. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  4. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  5. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  6. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

    Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  7. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  8. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  9. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  10. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  11. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  12. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  13. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  14. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  15. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  16. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  17. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  18. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  19. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  20. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medical Oncology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  21. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Pathology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  22. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  23. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  24. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Biomedical Data Sciences, Sequencing Analysis Support Core, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  25. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  26. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  27. Leiden University Medical Center · Oncode Institute

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Medical Oncology, Oncode Institute, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands

  28. Leiden University Medical Center

    Affiliation as printed

    Department of Immunology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands. r.arens@lumc.nl

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References 59