Strength of CAR signaling determines T cell versus ILC differentiation from pluripotent stem cells
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ABSTRACT: Generation of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) will enable advances in cancer immunotherapy. A detailed understanding of the effects of CARs on T cell differentiation from PSCs is important to this effort. The recently described artificial thymic organoid (ATO) system supports in vitro differentiation of PSCs to T cells. Unexpectedly, PSCs transduced with a CD19-targeted CAR resulted in diversion of T cell differentiation to the ILC2 lineage in ATOs. T cells and ILC2s are closely related lymphoid lineages which share certain developmental and transcriptional programs. Mechanistically, we show that antigen-independent CAR signaling during early lymphoid development was evident in ILC2-primed lymphoid precursors. We applied this understanding to rationally modulate CAR signaling strength through changes to CAR expression level, structure, or expression of cognate antigen and demonstrate that the T-versus-ILC lineage decision can be controlled in either direction, providing a framework for achieving normal CAR-T cell development from PSCs.
Project description:Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) represent innate versions of T helper and cytotoxic T cells that differentiate from committed ILC precursors (ILCP). Still, how ILCP relate to mature tissue-resident ILCs remains unclear. We identify ILCP that are present in the blood and all tested lymphoid and non-lymphoid human tissues. Human ILCP fail to express the signature transcription factors (TF) and cytokine outputs of mature NK cells and ILCs but are epigenetically poised to do so. Human ILCP robustly generate all ILC subsets in vitro and in vivo. While human ILCP express RAR related orphan receptor C (RORC), circulating ILCP can be found in RORC-deficient patients that retain potential for EOMES+ NK cells, T-BET+ ILC1, GATA-3+ ILC2 and for IL-22+ but not for IL-17A+ ILC3. We propose a model of tissue ILC differentiation (‘ILC-poiesis’) whereby diverse ILC subsets are generated in situ from ILCP in response to environmental stressors, inflammation and infection.
Project description:A transitory, interleukin-25-responsive, KLRG1high Group 2 innate lymphoid (ILC2) cell subset that migrates to mucosal tissues early during type-2 inflammation was recently identified. This study focuses on understanding the significance of this population in relation to tissue-resident ILC2 cells in the lung and intestine. RNA-sequencing and unbiased pathway analysis revealed the AP-1 factor BATF as a potential modulator of ILC2 cell fate. For RNAseq, KLRG1-postive and KLRG1-neagive populations were sorted and compared.
Project description:The transcription factor B Cell CLL/Lymphoma 11B (BCL11B) is indispensable for T lineage development of lymphoid progenitors. Here we show that chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) expression early in ex vivo generated lymphoid progenitors suppresses Bcl11b, leading to suppression of T cell-associated gene expression and acquisition of natural killer (NK) cell-like properties. These results give important insights into differentiation of murine and human lymphoid progenitors driven by synthetic CAR transgene-expression and inform the potential use of ex vivo generated CARiK cells as a broadly applicable product for targeted immunotherapy.
Project description:Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) are functionally poised, tissue-resident lymphocytes that respond rapidly to damage and infection at mucosal barrier sites. ILC2 reside within complex microenvironments where they are subject to cues from both the diet and invading pathogens – including helminths. Emerging evidence suggests ILC2 are acutely sensitive not only to canonical activating signals, but also perturbations in nutrient availability. In the context of helminth infection, we identify amino acid availability as a nutritional cue in regulating ILC2 responses. ILC2 were found to be uniquely pre-primed to import amino acids via the large neutral amino acid transporters Slc7a5 and Slc7a8. Cell-intrinsic deletion of these transporters individually impaired ILC2 expansion, while concurrent loss of both transporters markedly impaired the proliferative and cytokine producing capacity of ILC2. Moreover, amino acid determined the magnitude of ILC2 responses in part via tuning of mTOR. These findings implicate essential amino acids as a metabolic requisite for optimal ILC2 responses within mucosal barrier tissues.
Project description:Group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2) are functionally poised, tissue-resident lymphocytes that respond rapidly to damage and infection at mucosal barrier sites. ILC2 reside within complex microenvironments where they are subject to cues from both the diet and invading pathogens – including helminths. Emerging evidence suggests ILC2 are acutely sensitive not only to canonical activating signals, but also perturbations in nutrient availability. In the context of helminth infection, we identify amino acid availability as a nutritional cue in regulating ILC2 responses. ILC2 were found to be uniquely pre-primed to import amino acids via the large neutral amino acid transporters Slc7a5 and Slc7a8. Cell-intrinsic deletion of these transporters individually impaired ILC2 expansion, while concurrent loss of both transporters markedly impaired the proliferative and cytokine producing capacity of ILC2. Moreover, amino acid determined the magnitude of ILC2 responses in part via tuning of mTOR. These findings implicate essential amino acids as a metabolic requisite for optimal ILC2 responses within mucosal barrier tissues.
Project description:Here we identify the c-kit+ CILP population which generates all ILC subsets including NK cells, and the CD25- ILC2-restricted Sca-1+ CILP. We mapped the transcriptional changes that occur in ILC progenitor commitment identifying new regulatory factors and provide a map for early ILC differentiation. Finally, we mapped the subsequent transcriptional changes that occur in c-kit+ CILP in absence of Id2 and Tcf7, key regulators downstream of Nfil3.
Project description:To characterize the epigenomes during early ILC progenitor differentiation, we did DNase-seq, CUT&RUN and scMNase-seq assays in all-lymphoid progenitor (ALP), early innate lymphoid progenitor (EILP), and innate lymphoid cell progenitor (ILCP) cells.
Project description:We generate macrophages from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) with GD2 CARs integrated into AAVS1 locus. To produce CAR macrophages (CAR-M) we established a serum- and feeder-free differentiation protocol which generates macrophages through arterialized hemogenic endothelium.
Project description:Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-induced suppression of the transcription factor B cell CLL/lymphoma 11B propagates CAR-induced killer (CARiK) cell development. Here, we show that CRISPR-mediated BCL11B knockout (ko) in early lymphoid progenitors distinctively modulates this process depending on its use alone or in combination with a CAR. Upon adoptive transfer into hematopoietic stem cell recipients, Bcl11b-edited progenitors mediated either innate or adaptive anti-leukemic immune responses. With CAR expression being a prerequisite for antigen-specific CARiK responses, additional BCL11B ko was critical for the acquisition of adaptive killer cell functions such as clonal expansion, persistence, and recall responses. These findings have important insights on how BCL11B targeting can be used to tailor anti-leukemia functionality of CAR-engineered lymphoid progenitor cells.