The generation of protective immunity that reduces or prevents re-infection with the same pathogen is a hallmark of the adaptive immune system. One key component of this process is the formation of memory T cells. Several factors are known to impact the numbers, as well as the effectiveness of the memory T cells generated in response to virus infection. These include antigen abundance and duration, cytokine signals, and costimulatory molecules. However, the precise molecular mechanisms by which the integration of these signals regulate memory cell formation and function are not well understood. In particular, there is remarkably little known about how differences in TCR signaling, due to variations in TCR affinity/avidity for antigen-MHC complexes, impact the differentiation of effector versus memory CD8+ T cells at the molecular level. Our work has focused on the signaling pathways downstream of the TCR. We have found that the transcription factor, IRF4, is upregulated upon TCR stimulation of nave T cells, and that the amount of IRF4 produced in each T cell is dependent on the strength of the TCR signal. We also found that IRF4 upregulation was markedly impaired in T cells lacking the Tec kinase, ITK, a known modulator of TCR signal strength. Stimulation of IRF4- deficient CD8+ T cells induced high levels of Eomesodermin, a transcription factor associated with memory CD8+ T cells. Together, these data lead us to hypothesize that strong TCR signaling in CD8+ T cells responding to a virus infection induces robust ITK activation and high expression of IRF4. In turn, these factors induce high expression of T-bet and Blimp-1, suppress TCF1 and Eomesodermin expression, and thereby promote a vigorous expansion of short-lived effector cells. In contrast, cells receiving weak TCR stimulation would activate little ITK, upregulate low levels of IRF4, and differentiate rapidly into memory precursor cells. To test this hypothesis, we will examine the CD8+ T cell response to LCMV-Armstrong, as well as Influenza A virus, by cells carrying two, one, or zero copies of a functional IRF4 gene (IRF4+/+, IRF4+/-, IRF4-/-). We will also modulate the strength of TCR signaling by infecting wild type mice with LCMV- Armstrong, followed by varying doses of a small molecule inhibitor of ITK. As a third approach, we will use an LCMV-Armstrong variant carrying a point mutation in the GP33 peptide epitope recognized by the P14 TCR, leading to low affinity stimulation of P14 transgenic CD8+ T cells. In the second aim, we will address a set of putative downstream targets of IRF4, and will assess whether TCF1 is involved in the mechanism by which IRF4 represses Eomesodermin expression. In the third aim, we will examine the CD8+ T cell responses of mice carrying heterozygous mutations in ITK, IRF4, or both, to infections of the clone 13 strain of LCMV, a virus that establishes chronic infections in wild type mice. In the fourth aim, we will determine whether IL-4 synergizes with low TCR signal strength to promote memory T cell differentiation in vivo. Together, these studies will provide important insights into the signaling pathways that regulate short-lived effector versus memory precursor T cell formation, and in particular, the role of TCR signaling in this process.

Public Health Relevance

The generation of protective immunity that reduces or prevents re-infection with the same pathogen is a hallmark of the immune system. One key component of this process is the formation of distinct types of effector T cells, each of which provides the appropriate response to a specific subset of infecting pathogens. Our studies will elucidate the biochemical pathways that are required for the generation of these distinct types of effector T cells.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI106833-03
Application #
9036940
Study Section
Cellular and Molecular Immunology - A Study Section (CMIA)
Program Officer
Mallia, Conrad M
Project Start
2014-04-15
Project End
2018-03-31
Budget Start
2016-04-01
Budget End
2017-03-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester
Department
Pathology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
603847393
City
Worcester
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
Marshall, Nikki B; Vong, Allen M; Devarajan, Priyadharshini et al. (2017) NKG2C/E Marks the Unique Cytotoxic CD4 T Cell Subset, ThCTL, Generated by Influenza Infection. J Immunol 198:1142-1155
Shin, Hyun Mu; Kapoor, Varun N; Kim, Gwanghun et al. (2017) Transient expression of ZBTB32 in anti-viral CD8+ T cells limits the magnitude of the effector response and the generation of memory. PLoS Pathog 13:e1006544
Falanga, Yves T; Frascoli, Michela; Kaymaz, Yasin et al. (2017) High pathogen burden in childhood promotes the development of unconventional innate-like CD8+ T cells. JCI Insight 2:
Urban, Stina L; Berg, Leslie J; Welsh, Raymond M (2016) Type 1 interferon licenses naïve CD8 T cells to mediate anti-viral cytotoxicity. Virology 493:52-9
Conley, James M; Gallagher, Michael P; Berg, Leslie J (2016) T Cells and Gene Regulation: The Switching On and Turning Up of Genes after T Cell Receptor Stimulation in CD8 T Cells. Front Immunol 7:76
Nayar, Ribhu; Schutten, Elizabeth; Jangalwe, Sonal et al. (2015) IRF4 Regulates the Ratio of T-Bet to Eomesodermin in CD8+ T Cells Responding to Persistent LCMV Infection. PLoS One 10:e0144826
Wu, Tuoqi; Shin, Hyun Mu; Moseman, E Ashley et al. (2015) TCF1 Is Required for the T Follicular Helper Cell Response to Viral Infection. Cell Rep 12:2099-110
Prince, Amanda L; Kraus, Zachary; Carty, Shannon A et al. (2014) Development of innate CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in Itk-deficient mice is regulated by distinct pathways. J Immunol 193:688-99
Pereira, Renata M; Martinez, Gustavo J; Engel, Isaac et al. (2014) Jarid2 is induced by TCR signalling and controls iNKT cell maturation. Nat Commun 5:4540
Kapoor, Varun N; Shin, Hyun Mu; Cho, Ok Hyun et al. (2014) Regulation of tissue-dependent differences in CD8+ T cell apoptosis during viral infection. J Virol 88:9490-503

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