Get Spliced: Uniting Alternative Splicing and Arthritis.

Immune responses demand the rapid and precise regulation of gene protein expression. Splicing is a crucial step in this process; ~95% of protein-coding gene transcripts are spliced during mRNA maturation. Alternative splicing allows for distinct functional regulation, as it can affect transcript degradation and can lead to alternative functional protein isoforms. There is increasing evidence that splicing can directly regulate immune responses. For several genes, immune cells display dramatic changes in isoform-level transcript expression patterns upon activation. Recent advances in long-read RNA sequencing assays have enabled an unbiased and complete description of transcript isoform expression patterns. With an increasing amount of cell types and conditions that have been analyzed with such assays, thousands of novel transcript isoforms have been identified. Alternative splicing has been associated with autoimmune diseases, including arthritis. Here, GWASs revealed that SNPs associated with arthritis are enriched in splice sites. In this review, we will discuss how alternative splicing is involved in immune responses and how the dysregulation of alternative splicing can contribute to arthritis pathogenesis. In addition, we will discuss the therapeutic potential of modulating alternative splicing, which includes examples of spliceform-based biomarkers for disease severity or disease subtype, splicing manipulation using antisense oligonucleotides, and the targeting of specific immune-related spliceforms using antibodies.

Epigenetic changes in inflammatory arthritis monocytes contribute to disease and can be targeted by JAK inhibition.

OBJECTIVES: How the local inflammatory environment regulates epigenetic changes in the context of inflammatory arthritis remains unclear. Here we assessed the transcriptional and active enhancer profile of monocytes derived from the inflamed joints of JIA patients, a model well-suited for studying inflammatory arthritis. METHODS: RNA sequencing and H3K27me3 chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) were used to analyse the transcriptional and epigenetic profile, respectively, of JIA synovial fluid-derived monocytes. RESULTS: Synovial-derived monocytes display an activated phenotype, which is regulated on the epigenetic level. IFN signalling-associated genes are increased and epigenetically altered in synovial monocytes, indicating a driving role for IFN in establishing the local inflammatory phenotype. Treatment of synovial monocytes with the Janus-associated kinase (JAK) inhibitor ruxolitinib, which inhibits IFN signalling, transformed the activated enhancer landscape and reduced disease-associated gene expression, thereby inhibiting the inflammatory phenotype. CONCLUSION: This study provides novel insights into epigenetic regulation of inflammatory arthritis patient-derived monocytes and highlights the therapeutic potential of epigenetic modulation for the treatment of inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

Stabilization of the transcription factor Foxp3 by the deubiquitinase USP7 increases Treg-cell-suppressive capacity.

Stable Foxp3 expression is required for the development of functional regulatory T (Treg) cells. Here, we demonstrate that the expression of the transcription factor Foxp3 can be regulated through the polyubiquitination of multiple lysine residues, resulting in proteasome-mediated degradation. Expression of the deubiquitinase (DUB) USP7 was found to be upregulated and active in Treg cells, being associated with Foxp3 in the nucleus. Ectopic expression of USP7 decreased Foxp3 polyubiquitination and increased Foxp3 expression. Conversely, either treatment with DUB inhibitor or USP7 knockdown decreased endogenous Foxp3 protein expression and decreased Treg-cell-mediated suppression in vitro. Furthermore, in a murine adoptive-transfer-induced colitis model, either inhibition of DUB activity or USP7 knockdown in Treg cells abrogated their ability to resolve inflammation in vivo. Our data reveal a molecular mechanism in which rapid temporal control of Foxp3 expression in Treg cells can be regulated by USP7, thereby modulating Treg cell numbers and function.

Amphiregulin enhances regulatory T cell-suppressive function via the epidermal growth factor receptor.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is known to be critically involved in tissue development and homeostasis as well as in the pathogenesis of cancer. Here we showed that Foxp3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells express EGFR under inflammatory conditions. Stimulation with the EGF-like growth factor Amphiregulin (AREG) markedly enhanced Treg cell function in vitro, and in a colitis and tumor vaccination model we showed that AREG was critical for efficient Treg cell function in vivo. In addition, mast cell-derived AREG fully restored optimal Treg cell function. These findings reveal EGFR as a component in the regulation of local immune responses and establish a link between mast cells and Treg cells. Targeting of this immune regulatory mechanism may contribute to the therapeutic successes of EGFR-targeting treatments in cancer patients.

Canonical Wnt signaling negatively modulates regulatory T cell function.

Foxp3 is crucial for both the development and function of regulatory T (Treg) cells; however, the posttranslational mechanisms regulating Foxp3 transcriptional output remain poorly defined. Here, we demonstrate that T cell factor 1 (TCF1) and Foxp3 associates in Treg cells and that active Wnt signaling disrupts Foxp3 transcriptional activity. A global chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing comparison in Treg cells revealed considerable overlap between Foxp3 and Wnt target genes. The activation of Wnt signaling reduced Treg-mediated suppression both in vitro and in vivo, whereas disruption of Wnt signaling in Treg cells enhanced their suppressive capacity. The activation of effector T cells increased Wnt3a production, and Wnt3a levels were found to be greatly increased in mononuclear cells isolated from synovial fluid versus peripheral blood of arthritis patients. We propose a model in which Wnt produced under inflammatory conditions represses Treg cell function, allowing a productive immune response, but, if uncontrolled, could lead to the development of autoimmunity.

The Role of WNT Signaling in Mature T Cells: T Cell Factor Is Coming Home.

T cell factor, the effector transcription factor of the WNT signaling pathway, was so named because of the primary observation that it is indispensable for T cell development in the thymus. Since this discovery, the role of this signaling pathway has been extensively studied in T cell development, hematopoiesis, and stem cells; however, its functional role in mature T cells has remained relatively underinvestigated. Over the last few years, various studies have demonstrated that T cell factor can directly influence T cell function and the differentiation of Th1, Th2, Th17, regulatory T cell, follicular helper CD4+ T cell subsets, and CD8+ memory T cells. In this paper, we discuss the molecular mechanisms underlying these observations and place them in the general context of immune responses. Furthermore, we explore the implications and limitations of these findings for WNT manipulation as a therapeutic approach for treating immune-related diseases.

Molecular mechanisms of autophagic memory in pathogenic T cells in human arthritis.

T-cell resilience is critical to the immune pathogenesis of human autoimmune arthritis. Autophagy is essential for memory T cell generation and associated with pathogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our aim here was to delineate the role and molecular mechanism of autophagy in resilience and persistence of pathogenic T cells from autoimmune arthritis. We demonstrated "Autophagic memory" as elevated autophagy levels in CD4+ memory T cells compared to CD4+ naive T cells and in Jurkat Human T cell line trained with starvation stress. We then showed increased levels of autophagy in pathogenic CD4+ T cells subsets from autoimmune arthritis patients. Using RNA-sequencing, transcription factor gene regulatory network and methylation analyses we identified MYC as a key regulator of autophagic memory. We validated MYC levels using qPCR and further demonstrated that inhibiting MYC increased autophagy. The present study proposes the novel concept of autophagic memory and suggests that autophagic memory confers metabolic advantage to pathogenic T cells from arthritis and supports its resilience and long term survival. Particularly, suppression of MYC imparted the heightened autophagy levels in pathogenic T cells. These studies have a direct translational valency as they identify autophagy and its metabolic controllers as a novel therapeutic target.

Increased autophagy in CD4+ T cells of rheumatoid arthritis patients results in T-cell hyperactivation and apoptosis resistance.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease hallmarked by aberrant cellular homeostasis, resulting in hyperactive CD4+ T cells that are more resistant to apoptosis. Both hyperactivation and resistance to apoptosis may contribute to the pathogenicity of CD4+ T cells in the autoimmune process. A better knowledge of the mechanisms determining such impaired homeostasis could contribute significantly to both the understanding and the treatment of the disease. Here we investigated whether autophagy, is dysregulated in CD4+ T cells of RA patients, resulting in disturbed T-cell homeostasis. We demonstrate that the rate of autophagy is significantly increased in CD4+ T cells from RA patients, and that increased autophagy is also a feature of in vitro activated CD4+ T cells. The increased apoptosis resistance observed in CD4+ T cells from RA patients was significantly reversed upon autophagy inhibition. These mechanisms may contribute to RA pathogenesis, as autophagy inhibition reduced both arthritis incidence and disease severity in a mouse collagen induced arthritis mouse model. Conversely, in Atg5flox/flox -CD4-Cre+ mice, in which all T cells are autophagy deficient, T cells showed impaired activation and proliferation. These data provide novel insight into the pathogenesis of RA and underscore the relevance of autophagy as a promising therapeutic target.

Increased autophagy contributes to the inflammatory phenotype of juvenile idiopathic arthritis synovial fluid T cells.

Objectives: JIA is an autoimmune disease involving disturbed T-cell homeostasis, marked by highly activated effector T cells. Autophagy, a lysosomal degradation pathway, is crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis by regulating the survival, differentiation and function of a large variety of cells, including T cells. The aim of this study was to examine the rate of autophagy in JIA T cells and to investigate the effect of inhibition of autophagy on the inflammatory phenotype of JIA T cells. Methods: Autophagy-related gene expression was analysed in CD4+ T cells from the SF of JIA patients and healthy controls using RNA sequencing. Autophagy was measured by flow cytometry and western blot. The effect of inhibition of autophagy, using HCQ, on the cellular activation status was analysed using flow cytometry and multiplex immunoassay. Results: Autophagy was increased in T cells derived from the site of inflammation compared with cells from the peripheral blood of patients and healthy controls. This increase in autophagy was not induced by JIA SF, but is more likely to be the result of increased cellular activation. Inhibition of autophagy reduced proliferation, cytokine production and activation marker expression of JIA SF-derived CD4+ T cells. Conclusion: These data indicate that autophagy is increased in JIA SF-derived T cells and that targeting autophagy could be a promising therapeutic strategy to restore the disrupted T-cell homeostasis in JIA.

Acetylation of C/EBPε is a prerequisite for terminal neutrophil differentiation.

C/EBPε, a member of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) family of transcription factors, is exclusively expressed in myeloid cells and regulates transition from the promyelocytic stage to the myelocytic stage of neutrophil development, being indispensable for secondary and tertiary granule formation. Knowledge concerning the functional role of C/EBPε posttranslational modifications is limited to studies concerning phosphorylation and sumoylation. In the current study, using ectopic expression and ex vivo differentiation of CD34(+) hematopoietic progenitor cells, we demonstrate that C/EBPε is acetylated, which was confirmed by mass spectrometry analysis, identifying 4 acetylated lysines in 3 distinct functional domains. Regulation of C/EBPε acetylation levels by the p300 acetyltransferase and the sirtuin 1 deacetylase controls transcriptional activity, which can at least in part be explained by modulation of DNA binding. During neutrophil development, acetylation of lysines 121 and 198 were found to be crucial for terminal neutrophil differentiation and the expression of neutrophil-specific granule proteins, including lactoferrin and collagenase. Taken together, our data illustrate a critical role for acetylation in the functional regulation of C/EBPε activity during terminal neutrophil development.

Post-translational modification networks regulating FOXP3 function.

Forkhead box (FOX)P3 is a requisite transcription factor for the development and maintenance of immunosuppressive function of regulatory T (Treg) cells, and therefore for immune homeostasis. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) can transiently alter the functionality of transcription factors, and recent evidence reveals that FOXP3 can be regulated by various PTMs including acetylation, ubiquitination, and phosphorylation. Here, we review the current understanding of how these modifications control FOXP3, including regulation of DNA binding, transactivation potential, and proteasomal degradation. We place these findings in the context of the biology of Treg cells, and discuss both limitations in translating biochemical findings into in vivo functions and the opportunities presented by a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that can transiently control FOXP3 activity in response to environmental cues.

Ex vivo-expanded but not in vitro-induced human regulatory T cells are candidates for cell therapy in autoimmune diseases thanks to stable demethylation of the FOXP3 regulatory T cell-specific demethylated region.

Regulatory T cell (Treg) therapy is a promising approach for transplant rejection and severe autoimmunity. Unfortunately, clinically meaningful Treg numbers can be obtained only upon in vitro culture. Functional stability of human expanded (e)Tregs and induced (i)Tregs has not been thoroughly addressed for all proposed protocols, hindering clinical translation. We undertook a systematic comparison of eTregs and iTregs to recommend the most suitable for clinical implementation, and then tested their effectiveness and feasibility in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Regardless of the treatment, iTregs acquired suppressive function and FOXP3 expression, but lost them upon secondary restimulation in the absence of differentiation factors, which mimics in vivo reactivation. In contrast, eTregs expanded in the presence of rapamycin (rapa) retained their regulatory properties and FOXP3 demethylation upon restimulation with no stabilizing agent. FOXP3 demethylation predicted Treg functional stability upon secondary TCR engagement. Rapa eTregs suppressed conventional T cell proliferation via both surface (CTLA-4) and secreted (IL-10, TGF-ß, and IL-35) mediators, similarly to ex vivo Tregs. Importantly, Treg expansion with rapa from RA patients produced functionally stable Tregs with yields comparable to healthy donors. Moreover, rapa eTregs from RA patients were resistant to suppression reversal by the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α, and were more efficient in suppressing synovial conventional T cell proliferation compared with their ex vivo counterparts, suggesting that rapa improves both Treg function and stability. In conclusion, our data indicate Treg expansion with rapa as the protocol of choice for clinical application in rheumatological settings, with assessment of FOXP3 demethylation as a necessary quality control step.

A circulating reservoir of pathogenic-like CD4+ T cells shares a genetic and phenotypic signature with the inflamed synovial micro-environment.

OBJECTIVES: Systemic immunological processes are profoundly shaped by the micro-environments where antigen recognition occurs. Identifying molecular signatures distinctive of such processes is pivotal to understand pathogenic immune responses and manipulate them for therapeutic purposes. Unfortunately, direct investigation of peripheral tissues, enriched in pathogenic T cells, is often impossible or imposingly invasive in humans. Conversely, blood is easily accessible, but pathogenic signatures are diluted systemically as a result of the strict compartmentalisation of immune responses. In this work, we aimed at defining immune mediators shared between the bloodstream and the synovial micro-environment, and relevant for disease activity in autoimmune arthritis. METHODS: CD4(+) T cells from blood and synovium of patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) were immunophenotyped by flow cytometry. The TCR repertoire of a circulating subset showing similarity with the synovium was analysed through next-generation sequencing of TCR ß-chain CDR3 to confirm enrichment in synovial clonotypes. Finally, clinical relevance was established by monitoring the size of this subset in the blood of patients with JIA and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RESULTS: We identified a small subset of circulating CD4(+) T cells replicating the phenotypical signature of lymphocytes infiltrating the inflamed synovium. These circulating pathogenic-like lymphocytes (CPLs) were enriched in synovial clonotypes and they exhibited strong production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Importantly, CPLs were expanded in patients with JIA, who did not respond to therapy, and also correlated with disease activity in patients with RA. CONCLUSIONS: CPLs provide an accessible reservoir of pathogenic cells recirculating into the bloodstream and correlating with disease activity, to be exploited for diagnostic and research purposes.

CBP/P300 Inhibition Impairs CD4+ T Cell Activation: Implications for Autoimmune Disorders.

T cell activation is critical for an effective immune response against pathogens. However, dysregulation contributes to the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, including Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA). The molecular mechanisms underlying T cell activation are still incompletely understood. T cell activation promotes the acetylation of histone 3 at Lysine 27 (H3K27ac) at enhancer and promoter regions of proinflammatory cytokines, thereby increasing the expression of these genes which is essential for T cell function. Co-activators E1A binding protein P300 (P300) and CREB binding protein (CBP), collectively known as P300/CBP, are essential to facilitate H3K27 acetylation. Presently, the role of P300/CBP in human CD4+ T cells activation remains incompletely understood. To assess the function of P300/CBP in T cell activation and autoimmune disease, we utilized iCBP112, a selective inhibitor of P300/CBP, in T cells obtained from healthy controls and JIA patients. Treatment with iCBP112 suppressed T cell activation and cytokine signaling pathways, leading to reduced expression of many proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-17A. Moreover, P300/CBP inhibition in T cells derived from the inflamed synovium of JIA patients resulted in decreased expression of similar pathways and preferentially suppressed the expression of disease-associated genes. This study underscores the regulatory role of P300/CBP in regulating gene expression during T cell activation while offering potential insights into the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Our findings indicate that P300/CBP inhibition could potentially be leveraged for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as JIA in the future.

N6-methyladenosine promotes TNF mRNA degradation in CD4+ T lymphocytes.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is a RNA modification that can regulate post-transcriptional processes including RNA stability, translation, splicing, and nuclear export. In CD4+ lymphocytes, m6A modifications have been demonstrated to play a role in early differentiation processes. The role of m6A in CD4+ T cell activation and effector function remains incompletely understood. To assess the role of m6A in CD4+ T lymphocyte activation and function, we assessed the transcriptome-wide m6A landscape of human primary CD4+ T cells by methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing. Stimulation of the T cells impacted the m6A pattern of hundreds of transcripts including tumor necrosis factor (TNF). m6A methylation was increased on TNF messenger RNA (mRNA) after activation, predominantly in the 3' untranslated region of the transcript. Manipulation of m6A levels in primary human T cells, the directly affected the expression of TNF. Furthermore, we identified that the m6A reader protein YTHDF2 binds m6A-methylated TNF mRNA, and promotes its degradation. Taken together, this study demonstrates that TNF expression in CD4+ T lymphocytes is regulated via m6A and YTHDF2, thereby providing novel insight into the regulation of T cell effector functions.

T helper cells are immune cells of the adaptive immune system. These cells are activated by antigen presenting cells that have engulfed invading pathogens. When the T helper cell is activated, it will produce and excrete signaling molecules (cytokines) that activate other immune cells in order to eradicate these pathogens. Cytokines are formed after translation of RNA molecules that encode for these cytokines. In this study it was found that a modification (N6-methyladenosine) on RNA molecules is involved in the regulation of the life cycle of these RNA molecules. It was found that the degradation of RNA encoding for cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) was mediated through N6-methyladenosine and its "reader" protein YTHDF2 in activated T helper cells. As TNF promotes inflammation, reduction of TNF production through this mechanism dampens the immune response and therefore prevents chronic inflammation.

A cis-regulatory element regulates ERAP2 expression through autoimmune disease risk SNPs.

Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) near the ERAP2 gene are associated with various autoimmune conditions, as well as protection against lethal infections. Due to high linkage disequilibrium, numerous trait-associated SNPs are correlated with ERAP2 expression; however, their functional mechanisms remain unidentified. We show by reciprocal allelic replacement that ERAP2 expression is directly controlled by the splice region variant rs2248374. However, disease-associated variants in the downstream LNPEP gene promoter are independently associated with ERAP2 expression. Allele-specific conformation capture assays revealed long-range chromatin contacts between the gene promoters of LNPEP and ERAP2 and showed that interactions were stronger in patients carrying the alleles that increase susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. Replacing the SNPs in the LNPEP promoter by reference sequences lowered ERAP2 expression. These findings show that multiple SNPs act in concert to regulate ERAP2 expression and that disease-associated variants can convert a gene promoter region into a potent enhancer of a distal gene.

m6A Reader YTHDC1 Impairs Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection by Downregulating Membrane CX3CR1 Expression.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most prevalent cause of acute lower respiratory infection in young children. Currently, the first RSV vaccines are approved by the FDA. Recently, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation has been implicated in the regulation of the viral life cycle and replication of many viruses, including RSV. m6A methylation of RSV RNA has been demonstrated to promote replication and prevent anti-viral immune responses by the host. Whether m6A is also involved in viral entry and whether m6A can also affect RSV infection via different mechanisms than methylation of viral RNA is poorly understood. Here, we identify m6A reader YTH domain-containing protein 1 (YTHDC1) as a novel negative regulator of RSV infection. We demonstrate that YTHDC1 abrogates RSV infection by reducing the expression of RSV entry receptor CX3C motif chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1) on the cell surface of lung epithelial cells. Altogether, these data reveal a novel role for m6A methylation and YTHDC1 in the viral entry of RSV. These findings may contribute to the development of novel treatment options to control RSV infection.

Recombinant Interleukin-1 Receptor Antagonist Is an Effective First-Line Treatment Strategy in New-Onset Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Irrespective of HLA-DRB1 Background and IL1RN Variants.

OBJECTIVE: Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DRB1*15:01 has been recently associated with interstitial lung disease (LD), eosinophilia, and drug reactions in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA). Additionally, genetic variants in IL1RN have been linked to poor response to anakinra. We sought to reproduce these findings in a prospective cohort study of patients with new-onset sJIA treated with anakinra as first-line therapy. METHODS: HLA and IL1RN risk alleles were identified via whole-genome sequencing. Treatment responses and complications were compared between carriers versus noncarriers. RESULTS: Seventeen of 65 patients (26%) carried HLA-DRB1*15:01, comparable with the general population, and there was enrichment for HLA-DRB1*11:01, a known risk locus for sJIA. The rates of clinical inactive disease (CID) at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years were generally high, irrespective of HLA-DRB1 or IL1RN variants, but significantly lower in carriers of an HLA-DRB1*11:01 allele. One patient, an HLA-DRB1*15:01 carrier, developed sJIA-LD. Of the three patients with severe drug reactions to biologics, one carried HLA-DRB1*15:01. The prevalence of eosinophilia did not significantly differ between HLA-DRB1*15:01 carriers and noncarriers at disease onset (6.2% vs 14.9%, P = 0.67) nor after the start of anakinra (35.3% vs 37.5% in the first 2 years of disease). CONCLUSION: We observed high rates of CID using anakinra as first-line treatment irrespective of HLA-DRB1 or IL1RN variants. Only one of the 17 HLA-DRB1*15:01 carriers developed sJIA-LD, and of the three patients with drug reactions to biologics, only one carried HLA-DRB1*15:01. Although thorough monitoring for the development of drug hypersensitivity and refractory disease courses in sJIA, including sJIA-LD, remains important, our data support the early start of biologic therapy in patients with new-onset sJIA irrespective of HLA-DRB1 background or IL1RN variants.

Functional human regulatory T cells fail to control autoimmune inflammation due to PKB/c-akt hyperactivation in effector cells.

During the last decade research has focused on the application of FOXP3(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the treatment of autoimmune disease. However, thorough functional characterization of these cells in patients with chronic autoimmune disease, especially at the site of inflammation, is still missing. Here we studied Treg function in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and observed that Tregs from the peripheral blood as well as the inflamed joints are fully functional. Nevertheless, Treg-mediated suppression of cell proliferation and cytokine production by effector cells from the site of inflammation was severely impaired, because of resistance to suppression. This resistance to suppression was not caused by a memory phenotype of effector T cells or activation status of antigen presenting cells. Instead, activation of protein kinase B (PKB)/c-akt was enhanced in inflammatory effector cells, at least partially in response to TNFα and IL-6, and inhibition of this kinase restored responsiveness to suppression. We are the first to show that PKB/c-akt hyperactivation causes resistance of effector cells to suppression in human autoimmune disease. Furthermore, these findings suggest that for a Treg enhancing strategy to be successful in the treatment of autoimmune inflammation, resistance because of PKB/c-akt hyperactivation should be targeted as well.

N6-Methyladenosine Directly Regulates CD40L Expression in CD4+ T Lymphocytes.

T cell activation is a highly regulated process, modulated via the expression of various immune regulatory proteins including cytokines, surface receptors and co-stimulatory proteins. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an RNA modification that can directly regulate RNA expression levels and it is associated with various biological processes. However, the function of m6A in T cell activation remains incompletely understood. We identify m6A as a novel regulator of the expression of the CD40 ligand (CD40L) in human CD4+ lymphocytes. Manipulation of the m6A 'eraser' fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) and m6A 'writer' protein methyltransferase-like 3 (METTL3) directly affects the expression of CD40L. The m6A 'reader' protein YT521-B homology domain family-2 (YTHDF2) is hypothesized to be able to recognize and bind m6A specific sequences on the CD40L mRNA and promotes its degradation. This study demonstrates that CD40L expression in human primary CD4+ T lymphocytes is regulated via m6A modifications, elucidating a new regulatory mechanism in CD4+ T cell activation that could possibly be leveraged in the future to modulate T cell responses in patients with immune-related diseases.