The mitochondrial pyruvate carrier regulates antitumor function and memory T cell differentiation
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ABSTRACT: Effector CD8+ T cells engage glycolysis for both lactate fermentation and pyruvate oxidation, the latter requiring the mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC). How mitochondrial pyruvate metabolism impacts T cell function and fate, remains incompletely understood. We found that genetic deletion of MPC drives CD8+ T cell differentiation towards a memory phenotype. Metabolic flexibility induced by MPC inhibition in a nutrient-rich environment allowed for increased acetyl-coenzyme-A production by glutamine and fatty acid oxidation. This correlated with histone acetylation and chromatin accessibility on pro-memory genes. However, in a nutrient-deprived tumor microenvironment, MPC is essential for sustaining lactate oxidation that limits the metabolic suppression of CD8+ T cell anti-tumor function. To optimally translate these findings, we used a small molecule MPC inhibitor to imprint a stable memory phenotype during chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T manufacturing, and demonstrated that infusing metabolically conditioned MPC WT CAR T cells resulted in superior and long-lasting anti-tumor activity.
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE184718 | GEO | 2022/04/20
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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