RESUMO
Chronic stimulation can cause T cell dysfunction and limit the efficacy of cellular immunotherapies. Improved methods are required to compare large numbers of synthetic knockin (KI) sequences to reprogram cell functions. Here, we developed modular pooled KI screening (ModPoKI), an adaptable platform for modular construction of DNA KI libraries using barcoded multicistronic adaptors. We built two ModPoKI libraries of 100 transcription factors (TFs) and 129 natural and synthetic surface receptors (SRs). Over 30 ModPoKI screens across human TCR- and CAR-T cells in diverse conditions identified a transcription factor AP4 (TFAP4) construct that enhanced fitness of chronically stimulated CAR-T cells and anti-cancer function in vitro and in vivo. ModPoKI's modularity allowed us to generate an â¼10,000-member library of TF combinations. Non-viral KI of a combined BATF-TFAP4 polycistronic construct enhanced fitness. Overexpressed BATF and TFAP4 co-occupy and regulate key gene targets to reprogram T cell function. ModPoKI facilitates the discovery of complex gene constructs to program cellular functions.
Assuntos
Terapia Baseada em Transplante de Células e Tecidos , Exercício Físico , Humanos , Biblioteca Gênica , Imunoterapia , PesquisaRESUMO
Adoptive transfer of genetically modified immune cells holds great promise for cancer immunotherapy. CRISPR knockin targeting can improve cell therapies, but more high-throughput methods are needed to test which knockin gene constructs most potently enhance primary cell functions in vivo. We developed a widely adaptable technology to barcode and track targeted integrations of large non-viral DNA templates and applied it to perform pooled knockin screens in primary human T cells. Pooled knockin of dozens of unique barcoded templates into the T cell receptor (TCR)-locus revealed gene constructs that enhanced fitness in vitro and in vivo. We further developed pooled knockin sequencing (PoKI-seq), combining single-cell transcriptome analysis and pooled knockin screening to measure cell abundance and cell state ex vivo and in vivo. This platform nominated a novel transforming growth factor ß (TGF-ß) R2-41BB chimeric receptor that improved solid tumor clearance. Pooled knockin screening enables parallelized re-writing of endogenous genetic sequences to accelerate discovery of knockin programs for cell therapies.
Assuntos
Técnicas de Introdução de Genes/métodos , Engenharia Genética/métodos , Imunoterapia/métodos , Animais , Células Sanguíneas , Sistemas CRISPR-Cas/genética , Repetições Palindrômicas Curtas Agrupadas e Regularmente Espaçadas/genética , Humanos , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos NOD , Camundongos SCID , RNA Guia de Cinetoplastídeos/genética , Análise de Célula Única/métodos , Linfócitos T , Transcriptoma/genéticaRESUMO
Human T cells are central effectors of immunity and cancer immunotherapy. CRISPR-based functional studies in T cells could prioritize novel targets for drug development and improve the design of genetically reprogrammed cell-based therapies. However, large-scale CRISPR screens have been challenging in primary human cells. We developed a new method, single guide RNA (sgRNA) lentiviral infection with Cas9 protein electroporation (SLICE), to identify regulators of stimulation responses in primary human T cells. Genome-wide loss-of-function screens identified essential T cell receptor signaling components and genes that negatively tune proliferation following stimulation. Targeted ablation of individual candidate genes characterized hits and identified perturbations that enhanced cancer cell killing. SLICE coupled with single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed signature stimulation-response gene programs altered by key genetic perturbations. SLICE genome-wide screening was also adaptable to identify mediators of immunosuppression, revealing genes controlling responses to adenosine signaling. The SLICE platform enables unbiased discovery and characterization of functional gene targets in primary cells.
Assuntos
Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Genoma Humano , Linfócitos T/imunologia , Proteína 9 Associada à CRISPR/genética , Proteína 9 Associada à CRISPR/imunologia , Repetições Palindrômicas Curtas Agrupadas e Regularmente Espaçadas , Técnicas de Inativação de Genes , Estudo de Associação Genômica Ampla , Humanos , Linfócitos T/citologiaRESUMO
Human regulatory T (Treg) cells are essential for immune homeostasis. The transcription factor FOXP3 maintains Treg cell identity, yet the complete set of key transcription factors that control Treg cell gene expression remains unknown. Here, we used pooled and arrayed Cas9 ribonucleoprotein screens to identify transcription factors that regulate critical proteins in primary human Treg cells under basal and proinflammatory conditions. We then generated 54,424 single-cell transcriptomes from Treg cells subjected to genetic perturbations and cytokine stimulation, which revealed distinct gene networks individually regulated by FOXP3 and PRDM1, in addition to a network coregulated by FOXO1 and IRF4. We also discovered that HIVEP2, to our knowledge not previously implicated in Treg cell function, coregulates another gene network with SATB1 and is important for Treg cell-mediated immunosuppression. By integrating CRISPR screens and single-cell RNA-sequencing profiling, we have uncovered transcriptional regulators and downstream gene networks in human Treg cells that could be targeted for immunotherapies.
Assuntos
Repetições Palindrômicas Curtas Agrupadas e Regularmente Espaçadas , Perfilação da Expressão Gênica , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Redes Reguladoras de Genes , Linfócitos T Reguladores/imunologia , Linfócitos T Reguladores/metabolismo , Transcriptoma , Biomarcadores , Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Suscetibilidade a Doenças , Técnicas de Inativação de Genes , Marcação de Genes , Doença Enxerto-Hospedeiro/etiologia , Sequenciamento de Nucleotídeos em Larga Escala , HumanosRESUMO
The efficacy of adoptive T cell therapies for cancer treatment can be limited by suppressive signals from both extrinsic factors and intrinsic inhibitory checkpoints1,2. Targeted gene editing has the potential to overcome these limitations and enhance T cell therapeutic function3-10. Here we performed multiple genome-wide CRISPR knock-out screens under different immunosuppressive conditions to identify genes that can be targeted to prevent T cell dysfunction. These screens converged on RASA2, a RAS GTPase-activating protein (RasGAP) that we identify as a signalling checkpoint in human T cells, which is downregulated upon acute T cell receptor stimulation and can increase gradually with chronic antigen exposure. RASA2 ablation enhanced MAPK signalling and chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell cytolytic activity in response to target antigen. Repeated tumour antigen stimulations in vitro revealed that RASA2-deficient T cells show increased activation, cytokine production and metabolic activity compared with control cells, and show a marked advantage in persistent cancer cell killing. RASA2-knockout CAR T cells had a competitive fitness advantage over control cells in the bone marrow in a mouse model of leukaemia. Ablation of RASA2 in multiple preclinical models of T cell receptor and CAR T cell therapies prolonged survival in mice xenografted with either liquid or solid tumours. Together, our findings highlight RASA2 as a promising target to enhance both persistence and effector function in T cell therapies for cancer treatment.
Assuntos
Antígenos de Neoplasias , Neoplasias , Linfócitos T , Proteínas Ativadoras de ras GTPase , Animais , Antígenos de Neoplasias/imunologia , Medula Óssea , Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Modelos Animais de Doenças , Técnicas de Silenciamento de Genes , Humanos , Imunoterapia Adotiva , Leucemia/imunologia , Leucemia/patologia , Leucemia/terapia , Camundongos , Neoplasias/imunologia , Neoplasias/patologia , Neoplasias/terapia , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T/imunologia , Receptores de Antígenos Quiméricos/imunologia , Linfócitos T/imunologia , Linfócitos T/metabolismo , Fatores de Tempo , Ensaios Antitumorais Modelo de Xenoenxerto , Proteínas Ativadoras de ras GTPase/deficiência , Proteínas Ativadoras de ras GTPase/genéticaRESUMO
Regulatory T (Treg) cells are required to control immune responses and maintain homeostasis, but are a significant barrier to antitumour immunity1. Conversely, Treg instability, characterized by loss of the master transcription factor Foxp3 and acquisition of proinflammatory properties2, can promote autoimmunity and/or facilitate more effective tumour immunity3,4. A comprehensive understanding of the pathways that regulate Foxp3 could lead to more effective Treg therapies for autoimmune disease and cancer. The availability of new functional genetic tools has enabled the possibility of systematic dissection of the gene regulatory programs that modulate Foxp3 expression. Here we developed a CRISPR-based pooled screening platform for phenotypes in primary mouse Treg cells and applied this technology to perform a targeted loss-of-function screen of around 500 nuclear factors to identify gene regulatory programs that promote or disrupt Foxp3 expression. We identified several modulators of Foxp3 expression, including ubiquitin-specific peptidase 22 (Usp22) and ring finger protein 20 (Rnf20). Usp22, a member of the deubiquitination module of the SAGA chromatin-modifying complex, was revealed to be a positive regulator that stabilized Foxp3 expression; whereas the screen suggested that Rnf20, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, can serve as a negative regulator of Foxp3. Treg-specific ablation of Usp22 in mice reduced Foxp3 protein levels and caused defects in their suppressive function that led to spontaneous autoimmunity but protected against tumour growth in multiple cancer models. Foxp3 destabilization in Usp22-deficient Treg cells could be rescued by ablation of Rnf20, revealing a reciprocal ubiquitin switch in Treg cells. These results reveal previously unknown modulators of Foxp3 and demonstrate a screening method that can be broadly applied to discover new targets for Treg immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune disease.
Assuntos
Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , Fatores de Transcrição Forkhead/metabolismo , Linfócitos T Reguladores/metabolismo , Animais , Autoimunidade/imunologia , Células Cultivadas , Fatores de Transcrição Forkhead/biossíntese , Edição de Genes , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , Humanos , Imunoterapia , Masculino , Camundongos , Neoplasias/genética , Neoplasias/imunologia , Neoplasias/patologia , Neoplasias/prevenção & controle , Estabilidade Proteica , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Linfócitos T Reguladores/citologia , Linfócitos T Reguladores/imunologia , Ubiquitina Tiolesterase/deficiência , Ubiquitina Tiolesterase/metabolismo , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/deficiência , Ubiquitina-Proteína Ligases/metabolismoRESUMO
Emerging evidence suggests that immunological mechanisms underlie metabolic control of adipose tissue. Here, we have shown the regulatory impact of a rare subpopulation of dendritic cells, rich in perforin-containing granules (perf-DCs). Using bone marrow transplantation to generate animals selectively lacking perf-DCs, we found that these chimeras progressively gained weight and exhibited features of metabolic syndrome. This phenotype was associated with an altered repertoire of T cells residing in adipose tissue and could be completely prevented by T cell depletion in vivo. A similar impact of perf-DCs on inflammatory T cells was also found in a well-defined model of multiple sclerosis, experimental autoimmune encephlalomyelitis (EAE). Thus, perf-DCs probably represent a regulatory cell subpopulation critical for protection from metabolic syndrome and autoimmunity.
Assuntos
Autoimunidade/imunologia , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/imunologia , Células Dendríticas/imunologia , Inflamação/imunologia , Síndrome Metabólica/imunologia , Proteínas Citotóxicas Formadoras de Poros/análise , Tecido Adiposo/imunologia , Tecido Adiposo/metabolismo , Tecido Adiposo/patologia , Transferência Adotiva , Animais , Antígenos de Diferenciação/análise , Antígeno CD11c/análise , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/patologia , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos/transplante , Células Clonais/imunologia , Grânulos Citoplasmáticos/química , Células Dendríticas/classificação , Células Dendríticas/ultraestrutura , Dieta Hiperlipídica/efeitos adversos , Encefalomielite Autoimune Experimental/imunologia , Encefalomielite Autoimune Experimental/patologia , Feminino , Inflamação/patologia , Depleção Linfocítica , Masculino , Síndrome Metabólica/etiologia , Síndrome Metabólica/patologia , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Transgênicos , Obesidade/imunologia , Obesidade/patologia , Fenótipo , Proteínas Citotóxicas Formadoras de Poros/deficiência , Proteínas Citotóxicas Formadoras de Poros/genética , Quimera por Radiação , Tolerância a Antígenos Próprios/imunologiaRESUMO
Decades of work have aimed to genetically reprogram T cells for therapeutic purposes1,2 using recombinant viral vectors, which do not target transgenes to specific genomic sites3,4. The need for viral vectors has slowed down research and clinical use as their manufacturing and testing is lengthy and expensive. Genome editing brought the promise of specific and efficient insertion of large transgenes into target cells using homology-directed repair5,6. Here we developed a CRISPR-Cas9 genome-targeting system that does not require viral vectors, allowing rapid and efficient insertion of large DNA sequences (greater than one kilobase) at specific sites in the genomes of primary human T cells, while preserving cell viability and function. This permits individual or multiplexed modification of endogenous genes. First, we applied this strategy to correct a pathogenic IL2RA mutation in cells from patients with monogenic autoimmune disease, and demonstrate improved signalling function. Second, we replaced the endogenous T cell receptor (TCR) locus with a new TCR that redirected T cells to a cancer antigen. The resulting TCR-engineered T cells specifically recognized tumour antigens and mounted productive anti-tumour cell responses in vitro and in vivo. Together, these studies provide preclinical evidence that non-viral genome targeting can enable rapid and flexible experimental manipulation and therapeutic engineering of primary human immune cells.
Assuntos
Reprogramação Celular/genética , Edição de Genes , Genoma Humano/genética , Linfócitos T/imunologia , Linfócitos T/metabolismo , Animais , Autoimunidade/genética , Sistemas CRISPR-Cas/genética , Células Cultivadas , Humanos , Subunidade alfa de Receptor de Interleucina-2/genética , Masculino , Camundongos , Transplante de Neoplasias , Engenharia de Proteínas , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T/genética , Linfócitos T/citologiaRESUMO
Immunosuppressive factors in the tumor microenvironment (TME) impair T cell function and limit the antitumor immune response. T cell surface receptors and surface proteins that influence interactions and function in the TME are proven targets for cancer immunotherapy. However, how the entire surface proteome remodels in primary human T cells in response to specific suppressive factors in the TME remains to be broadly and systematically characterized. Here, using a reductionist cell culture approach with primary human T cells and stable isotopic labeling with amino acids in cell culture-based quantitative cell surface capture glycoproteomics, we examined how two immunosuppressive TME factors, regulatory T cells (Tregs) and hypoxia, globally affect the activated CD8+ surface proteome (surfaceome). Surprisingly, coculturing primary CD8+ T cells with Tregs only modestly affected the CD8+ surfaceome but did partially reverse activation-induced surfaceomic changes. In contrast, hypoxia drastically altered the CD8+ surfaceome in a manner consistent with both metabolic reprogramming and induction of an immunosuppressed state. The CD4+ T cell surfaceome similarly responded to hypoxia, revealing a common hypoxia-induced surface receptor program. Our surfaceomics findings suggest that hypoxic environments create a challenge for T cell activation. These studies provide global insight into how Tregs and hypoxia remodel the T cell surfaceome and we believe represent a valuable resource to inform future therapeutic efforts to enhance T cell function.
Assuntos
Proteoma , Linfócitos T Reguladores , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos , Humanos , Hipóxia , Microambiente TumoralRESUMO
Processing of external information by mammalian cells often involves seemingly redundant isoforms of signaling molecules and transcription factors. Understanding the functional relevance of coexpressed isoforms that respond to the same signal and control a shared set of genes is still limited. Here we show, using imaging of individual living mammalian cells, that the closely related transcription factors NFAT1 and NFAT4 possess distinct nuclear localization dynamics in response to cell stimulation. NFAT4 shows a fast response, with rapid stochastic bursts of nuclear localization. Burst frequency grows with signal level, while response amplitude is fixed. In contrast, NFAT1 has a slow, continuous response, and its amplitude increases with signal level. These diverse dynamical features observed for single cells are translated into different impulse response strategies at the cell population level. We suggest that dynamic response diversity of seemingly redundant genes can provide cells with enhanced capabilities of temporal information processing.
Assuntos
Núcleo Celular/metabolismo , Fatores de Transcrição NFATC/metabolismo , Animais , Cálcio/fisiologia , Linhagem Celular , Proteínas de Drosophila/imunologia , Proteínas de Drosophila/metabolismo , Proteínas de Drosophila/fisiologia , Imunoglobulina E/fisiologia , Camundongos , Proteínas Associadas aos Microtúbulos/imunologia , Proteínas Associadas aos Microtúbulos/metabolismo , Proteínas Associadas aos Microtúbulos/fisiologia , Isoformas de Proteínas/metabolismo , Transporte Proteico , Ratos , Análise de Célula Única , Imagem com Lapso de TempoRESUMO
MOTIVATION: While growing numbers of T cell receptor (TCR) repertoires are being mapped by high-throughput sequencing, existing methods do not allow for computationally connecting a given TCR sequence to its target antigen, or relating it to a specific pathology. As an alternative, a manually-curated database can relate TCR sequences with their cognate antigens and associated pathologies based on published experimental data. RESULTS: We present McPAS-TCR, a manually curated database of TCR sequences associated with various pathologies and antigens based on published literature. Our database currently contains more than 5000 sequences of TCRs associated with various pathologic conditions (including pathogen infections, cancer and autoimmunity) and their respective antigens in humans and in mice. A web-based tool allows for searching the database based on different criteria, and for finding annotated sequences from the database in users' data. The McPAS-TCR website assembles information from a large number of studies that is very hard to dissect otherwise. Initial analyses of the data provide interesting insights on pathology-associated TCR sequences. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: Free access at http://friedmanlab.weizmann.ac.il/McPAS-TCR/ . CONTACT: nir.friedman@weizmann.ac.il.
Assuntos
Antígenos/genética , Bases de Dados Genéticas , Sequenciamento de Nucleotídeos em Larga Escala , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T/genética , Animais , Antígenos/química , Humanos , Camundongos , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T/química , Análise de Sequência de DNA , Análise de Sequência de ProteínaRESUMO
Motivation: Somatic DNA recombination, the hallmark of vertebrate adaptive immunity, has the potential to generate a vast diversity of antigen receptor sequences. How this diversity captures antigen specificity remains incompletely understood. In this study we use high throughput sequencing to compare the global changes in T cell receptor ß chain complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3ß) sequences following immunization with ovalbumin administered with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) or CFA alone. Results: The CDR3ß sequences were deconstructed into short stretches of overlapping contiguous amino acids. The motifs were ranked according to a one-dimensional Bayesian classifier score comparing their frequency in the repertoires of the two immunization classes. The top ranking motifs were selected and used to create feature vectors which were used to train a support vector machine. The support vector machine achieved high classification scores in a leave-one-out validation test reaching >90% in some cases. Summary: The study describes a novel two-stage classification strategy combining a one-dimensional Bayesian classifier with a support vector machine. Using this approach we demonstrate that the frequency of a small number of linear motifs three amino acids in length can accurately identify a CD4 T cell response to ovalbumin against a background response to the complex mixture of antigens which characterize Complete Freund's Adjuvant. Availability and implementation: The sequence data is available at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sra/?term»SRP075893 . The Decombinator package is available at github.com/innate2adaptive/Decombinator . The R package e1071 is available at the CRAN repository https://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/e1071/index.html . Contact: b.chain@ucl.ac.uk. Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Assuntos
Regiões Determinantes de Complementaridade/metabolismo , Máquina de Vetores de Suporte , Aminoácidos/metabolismo , Animais , Teorema de Bayes , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/imunologia , Regiões Determinantes de Complementaridade/química , Bases de Dados Genéticas , Humanos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T alfa-beta/químicaRESUMO
The T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire is formed by random recombinations of genomic precursor elements; the resulting combinatorial diversity renders unlikely extensive TCR sharing between individuals. Here, we studied CDR3ß amino acid sequence sharing in a repertoire-wide manner, using high-throughput TCR-seq in 28 healthy mice. We uncovered hundreds of public sequences shared by most mice. Public CDR3 sequences, relative to private sequences, are two orders of magnitude more abundant on average, express restricted V/J segments, and feature high convergent nucleic acid recombination. Functionally, public sequences are enriched for MHC-diverse CDR3 sequences that were previously associated with autoimmune, allograft, and tumor-related reactions, but not with anti-pathogen-related reactions. Public CDR3 sequences are shared between mice of different MHC haplotypes, but are associated with different, MHC-dependent, V genes. Thus, despite their random generation process, TCR repertoires express a degree of uniformity in their post-genomic organization. These results, together with numerical simulations of TCR genomic rearrangements, suggest that biases and convergence in TCR recombination combine with ongoing selection to generate a restricted subset of self-associated, public CDR3 TCR sequences, and invite reexamination of the basic mechanisms of T-cell repertoire formation.
Assuntos
Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/metabolismo , Motivos de Nucleotídeos , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T alfa-beta/genética , Análise de Sequência de RNA/métodos , Animais , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/imunologia , Feminino , Camundongos , Modelos Genéticos , Dados de Sequência Molecular , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T alfa-beta/imunologia , Recombinação V(D)JRESUMO
The adaptive arm of the immune system has been suggested as an important factor in brain function. However, given the fact that interactions of neurons or glial cells with T lymphocytes rarely occur within the healthy CNS parenchyma, the underlying mechanism is still a mystery. Here we found that at the interface between the brain and blood circulation, the epithelial layers of the choroid plexus (CP) are constitutively populated with CD4(+) effector memory cells with a T-cell receptor repertoire specific to CNS antigens. With age, whereas CNS specificity in this compartment was largely maintained, the cytokine balance shifted in favor of the T helper type 2 (Th2) response; the Th2-derived cytokine IL-4 was elevated in the CP of old mice, relative to IFN-γ, which decreased. We found this local cytokine shift to critically affect the CP epithelium, triggering it to produce the chemokine CCL11 shown to be associated with cognitive dysfunction. Partial restoration of cognitive ability in aged mice, by lymphopenia-induced homeostasis-driven proliferation of memory T cells, was correlated with restoration of the IL-4:IFN-γ ratio at the CP and modulated the expression of plasticity-related genes at the hippocampus. Our data indicate that the cytokine milieu at the CP epithelium is affected by peripheral immunosenescence, with detrimental consequences to the aged brain. Amenable to immunomodulation, this interface is a unique target for arresting age-related cognitive decline.
Assuntos
Envelhecimento/imunologia , Envelhecimento/patologia , Encéfalo/imunologia , Encéfalo/patologia , Plexo Corióideo/imunologia , Plexo Corióideo/patologia , Células Th2/imunologia , Células Th2/patologia , Imunidade Adaptativa , Animais , Barreira Hematoencefálica/imunologia , Barreira Hematoencefálica/patologia , Proliferação de Células , Epitélio/imunologia , Epitélio/patologia , Hipocampo/imunologia , Hipocampo/patologia , Memória Imunológica , Linfopenia/imunologia , Linfopenia/patologia , Masculino , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos C57BL , Camundongos Knockout , Neuroimunomodulação , Receptores de Interferon/deficiência , Receptores de Interferon/genética , Receptor de Interferon gamaRESUMO
MOTIVATION: The clonal theory of adaptive immunity proposes that immunological responses are encoded by increases in the frequency of lymphocytes carrying antigen-specific receptors. In this study, we measure the frequency of different T-cell receptors (TcR) in CD4 + T cell populations of mice immunized with a complex antigen, killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis, using high throughput parallel sequencing of the TcRß chain. Our initial hypothesis that immunization would induce repertoire convergence proved to be incorrect, and therefore an alternative approach was developed that allows accurate stratification of TcR repertoires and provides novel insights into the nature of CD4 + T-cell receptor recognition. RESULTS: To track the changes induced by immunization within this heterogeneous repertoire, the sequence data were classified by counting the frequency of different clusters of short (3 or 4) continuous stretches of amino acids within the antigen binding complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) repertoire of different mice. Both unsupervised (hierarchical clustering) and supervised (support vector machine) analyses of these different distributions of sequence clusters differentiated between immunized and unimmunized mice with 100% efficiency. The CD4 + TcR repertoires of mice 5 and 14 days postimmunization were clearly different from that of unimmunized mice but were not distinguishable from each other. However, the repertoires of mice 60 days postimmunization were distinct both from naive mice and the day 5/14 animals. Our results reinforce the remarkable diversity of the TcR repertoire, resulting in many diverse private TcRs contributing to the T-cell response even in genetically identical mice responding to the same antigen. However, specific motifs defined by short stretches of amino acids within the CDR3 region may determine TcR specificity and define a new approach to TcR sequence classification. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: The analysis was implemented in R and Python, and source code can be found in Supplementary Data. CONTACT: b.chain@ucl.ac.uk SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Assuntos
Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/imunologia , Regiões Determinantes de Complementaridade/química , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T/química , Sequência de Aminoácidos , Animais , Análise por Conglomerados , Imunização , Camundongos , Mycobacterium tuberculosis/imunologia , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T/imunologia , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T alfa-beta/química , Análise de Sequência de Proteína , Máquina de Vetores de SuporteRESUMO
T cells play fundamental roles in adaptive immunity, relying on a diverse repertoire of T-cell receptor (TCR) α and ß chains. Diversity of the TCR ß chain is generated in part by a random yet intrinsically biased combinatorial rearrangement of variable (Vß), diversity (Dß), and joining (Jß) gene segments. The mechanisms that determine biases in gene segment use remain unclear. Here we show, using a high-throughput TCR sequencing approach, that a physical model of chromatin conformation at the DJß genomic locus explains more than 80% of the biases in Jß use that we measured in murine T cells. This model also predicts correctly how differences in intersegment genomic distances between humans and mice translate into differences in Jß bias between TCR repertoires of these two species. As a consequence of these structural and other biases, TCR sequences are produced with different a priori frequencies, thus affecting their probability of becoming public TCRs that are shared among individuals. Surprisingly, we find that many more TCR sequences are shared among all five mice we studied than among only subgroups of three or four mice. We derive a necessary mathematical condition explaining this finding, which indicates that the TCR repertoire contains a core set of receptor sequences that are highly abundant among individuals, if their a priori probability of being produced by the recombination process is higher than a defined threshold. Our results provide evidence for an expanded role of chromatin conformation in VDJ rearrangement, from control of gene accessibility to precise determination of gene segment use.
Assuntos
Montagem e Desmontagem da Cromatina/imunologia , Rearranjo Gênico da Cadeia beta dos Receptores de Antígenos dos Linfócitos T/fisiologia , Loci Gênicos/imunologia , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T alfa-beta/imunologia , Linfócitos T/imunologia , Animais , Montagem e Desmontagem da Cromatina/genética , Camundongos , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T alfa-beta/genéticaRESUMO
Background: In adoptive T cell therapy, the long term therapeutic benefits in patients treated with engineered tumor specific T cells are limited by the lack of long term persistence of the infused cellular products and by the immunosuppressive mechanisms active in the tumor microenvironment. Exhausted T cells infiltrating the tumor are characterized by loss of effector functions triggered by multiple inhibitory receptors (IRs). In patients, IR blockade reverts T cell exhaustion but has low selectivity, potentially unleashing autoreactive clones and resulting in clinical autoimmune side effects. Furthermore, loss of long term protective immunity in cell therapy has been ascribed to the effector memory phenotype of the infused cells. Methods: We simultaneously redirected T cell specificity towards the NY-ESO-1 antigen via TCR gene editing (TCRED) and permanently disrupted LAG3, TIM-3 or 2B4 genes (IRKO) via CRISPR/Cas9 in a protocol to expand early differentiated long-living memory stem T cells. The effector functions of the TCRED-IRKO and IR competent (TCRED-IRCOMP) cells were tested in short-term co-culture assays and under a chronic stimulation setting in vitro. Finally, the therapeutic efficacy of the developed cellular products were evaluated in multiple myeloma xenograft models. Results: We show that upon chronic stimulation, TCRED-IRKO cells are superior to TCRED-IRCOMP cells in resisting functional exhaustion through different mechanisms and efficiently eliminate cancer cells upon tumor re-challenge in vivo. Our data indicate that TIM-3 and 2B4-disruption preserve T-cell degranulation capacity, while LAG-3 disruption prevents the upregulation of additional inhibitory receptors in T cells. Conclusion: These results highlight that TIM-3, LAG-3, and 2B4 disruptions increase the therapeutic benefit of tumor specific cellular products and suggest distinct, non-redundant roles for IRs in anti-tumor responses.
Assuntos
Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos , Mieloma Múltiplo , Humanos , Receptor Celular 2 do Vírus da Hepatite A/genética , Antígenos de Neoplasias/genética , Receptores de Antígenos de Linfócitos T/genética , Microambiente TumoralRESUMO
Enhancing CRISPR-mediated site-specific transgene insertion efficiency by homology-directed repair (HDR) using high concentrations of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) with Cas9 target sequences (CTSs) can be toxic to primary cells. Here, we develop single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) HDR templates (HDRTs) incorporating CTSs with reduced toxicity that boost knock-in efficiency and yield by an average of around two- to threefold relative to dsDNA CTSs. Using small-molecule combinations that enhance HDR, we could further increase knock-in efficiencies by an additional roughly two- to threefold on average. Our method works across a variety of target loci, knock-in constructs and primary human cell types, reaching HDR efficiencies of >80-90%. We demonstrate application of this approach for both pathogenic gene variant modeling and gene-replacement strategies for IL2RA and CTLA4 mutations associated with Mendelian disorders. Finally, we develop a good manufacturing practice (GMP)-compatible process for nonviral chimeric antigen receptor-T cell manufacturing, with knock-in efficiencies (46-62%) and yields (>1.5 × 109 modified cells) exceeding those of conventional approaches.
Assuntos
Sistemas CRISPR-Cas , DNA de Cadeia Simples , Humanos , Sistemas CRISPR-Cas/genética , DNA de Cadeia Simples/genética , Genoma , Reparo de DNA por Recombinação , Mutação , DNA , Edição de Genes , Reparo do DNA por Junção de ExtremidadesRESUMO
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) relies on host molecular machinery for replication. Systematic attempts to genetically or biochemically define these host factors have yielded hundreds of candidates, but few have been functionally validated in primary cells. Here, we target 426 genes previously implicated in the HIV lifecycle through protein interaction studies for CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knock-out in primary human CD4+ T cells in order to systematically assess their functional roles in HIV replication. We achieve efficient knockout (>50% of alleles) in 364 of the targeted genes and identify 86 candidate host factors that alter HIV infection. 47 of these factors validate by multiplex gene editing in independent donors, including 23 factors with restrictive activity. Both gene editing efficiencies and HIV-1 phenotypes are highly concordant among independent donors. Importantly, over half of these factors have not been previously described to play a functional role in HIV replication, providing numerous novel avenues for understanding HIV biology. These data further suggest that host-pathogen protein-protein interaction datasets offer an enriched source of candidates for functional host factor discovery and provide an improved understanding of the mechanics of HIV replication in primary T cells.
Assuntos
Infecções por HIV , HIV-1 , Linfócitos T CD4-Positivos/metabolismo , Edição de Genes , HIV-1/genética , Interações entre Hospedeiro e Microrganismos/genética , HumanosRESUMO
T cell exhaustion limits antitumor immunity, but the molecular determinants of this process remain poorly understood. Using a chronic stimulation assay, we performed genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screens to systematically discover regulators of T cell exhaustion, which identified an enrichment of epigenetic factors. In vivo CRISPR screens in murine and human tumor models demonstrated that perturbation of the INO80 and BAF chromatin remodeling complexes improved T cell persistence in tumors. In vivo Perturb-seq revealed distinct transcriptional roles of each complex and that depletion of canonical BAF complex members, including Arid1a, resulted in the maintenance of an effector program and downregulation of exhaustion-related genes in tumor-infiltrating T cells. Finally, Arid1a depletion limited the acquisition of exhaustion-associated chromatin accessibility and led to improved antitumor immunity. In summary, we provide an atlas of the genetic regulators of T cell exhaustion and demonstrate that modulation of epigenetic state can improve T cell responses in cancer immunotherapy.