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Enforcing GLUT3 expression in CD8+ T cells improves fitness and tumor control by promoting glucose uptake and energy storage

Authors :
Elisabetta Cribioli
Greta Maria Paola Giordano Attianese
Pierpaolo Ginefra
Amandine Signorino-Gelo
Romain Vuillefroy de Silly
Nicola Vannini
Christoph Hess
Melita Irving
George Coukos
Source :
Frontiers in Immunology, Vol 13 (2022)
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2022.

Abstract

Despite the tremendous success of adoptive T-cell therapies (ACT) in fighting certain hematologic malignancies, not all patients respond, a proportion experience relapse, and effective ACT of most solid tumors remains elusive. In order to improve responses to ACT suppressive barriers in the solid tumor microenvironment (TME) including insufficient nutrient availability must be overcome. Here we explored how enforced expression of the high-affinity glucose transporter GLUT3 impacted tumor-directed T cells. Overexpression of GLUT3 in primary murine CD8+ T cells enhanced glucose uptake and increased glycogen and fatty acid storage, and was associated with increased mitochondrial fitness, reduced ROS levels, higher abundance of the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1, and better resistance to stress. Importantly, GLUT3-OT1 T cells conferred superior control of B16-OVA melanoma tumors and, in this same model, significantly improved survival. Moreover, a proportion of treated mice were cured and protected from re-challenge, indicative of long-term T cell persistence and memory formation. Enforcing expression of GLUT3 is thus a promising strategy to improve metabolic fitness and sustaining CD8+ T cell effector function in the context of ACT.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16643224
Volume :
13
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Immunology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.4281944bf7cc4a21b14d4315acba88d6
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2022.976628