Biology subjects

Farsakoglu, Y.

Publications and source records attributed to Farsakoglu, Y..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Cognate T-cell labeling by conventional and unconventional antigen-presenting cells in vivo using a modular SrtA-based toolkit

While different antigen-presenting cell (APC) populations can drive divergent T-cell fates even when presenting identical antigens (Ags), our ability to trace these specific in vivo interaction histories remains constrained by a lack of compatible molecular tools. Here, we describe an enhanced Labeling Immune Partnerships by SorTagging Intercellular Contacts (LIPSTIC) platform utilizing the immunologically inert human CD58/CD2 receptor-ligand pair (SrtA-hCD58/G5-hCD2). This system provides a modular alternative to previous LIPSTIC animal models and enables the detection and recovery of T cells following Ag-dependent interactions with distinct APC populations in vitro and in vivo. We applied this approach to interrogate the role of type 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s), an unconventional ROR{gamma}t Ag-presenting population whose role in shaping Ag-specific T cells in vivo remain poorly defined. Modified LIPSTIC successfully recorded cognate interactions between ILC3s and naive CD4 T cells in the spleen and enabled direct comparison with CD4+ T cells activated by conventional dendritic cells (cDCs). Although interactions with ILC3s resulted in lower frequency of in vivo-labeled T cells than cDC2s, CD4+ T cells showed comparable cell division and expression of activation markers irrespectively of an APC type. Together, these findings establish SrtA-hCD58/G5-hCD2 as a versatile LIPSTIC receptor-ligand pair for tracking cell-cell interactions in vivo and provide a robust tool for studying how APC identity influences Ag-specific T-cell responses.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2024

Different signaling interpretations by PKC eta and theta control T cell function and exhaustion

Chronic antigen signaling drives CD8+ T cell exhaustion (TEX) in cancer and chronic infection. However, how the kinase cascades downstream of the T cell receptor drive exhaustion is not understood. We found that continuous agonism of protein kinase C (PKC) causes degradation of PKC theta, but not PKC eta, and induces terminal TEX cells. During chronic infection, PKC theta is necessary to maintain the progenitor exhausted (TEX-PROG) cells, and thus the antigen-specific T cell response, while agonism of PKC eta promotes terminal exhaustion (TEX-TERM) in vitro and in vivo. The cascades downstream of these kinases are distinct, with PKC theta promoting activity of canonical PKC targets in the MAPK and CDK families, while eta promotes activity of other targets, including casein kinase I G2 (CK1G2). Expression of an engineered, degradation-resistant PKC theta, or deletion of the gene encoding CK1G2, improves T cell function and tumor control. Our illustration of multiple therapeutic avenues arising from targeting PKC highlights its centrality in TEX differentiation and its clinical potential in cancer immunotherapy. HighlightsO_LIPKC theta sustains T cell function while PKC eta promotes terminal exhaustion C_LIO_LIPKC theta and eta drive distinct phospho-cascades to oppose each others differentiation instructions C_LIO_LIAn engineered, degradation-resistant PKC theta improves T cell responses in chronic infection and cancer C_LIO_LIAblation of kinase CK1G2 downstream of PKC eta improves anti-tumor T cell responses C_LI

immunology↗

bioRxiv2022

A microglia-CD4+ T cell partnership generates protective anti-tumor immunity to glioblastoma

The limited efficacy of immunotherapies against glioblastoma illustrates the urgent need to better understand the interactions between the central nervous system and the immune system. Here, we showed that a protective response to CTLA-4 therapy depended on a mutualistic relationship between microglia and CD4+ T cells. Suppression of gliomas by CD4+ T cells did not require tumor-intrinsic MHC-II expression, but rather was dependent on the selective expression of MHC-II and antigen presentation by local microglia that in turn, sustained CD4+ T cell tumoricidal effector functions. CD4+ T cell secretion of IFN{gamma} made the glioma cells vulnerable to enhanced tumor surveillance and phagocytosis by microglia via the AXL/MER tyrosine kinase receptors that were necessary for tumor suppression. This work illustrates a novel partnership between CD4+ T cells and microglia that unleashes the tumoricidal properties of microglia that can be harnessed to improve immunotherapies for glioblastoma.

immunology↗

bioRxiv2020

Oxidized Lipids and CD36-Mediated Lipid Peroxidation in CD8 T Cells Suppress Anti-Tumor Immune Responses

T cell metabolic fitness plays a pivotal role in anti-tumor immunity and metabolic deregulation causes T cell dysfunction (i.e., exhaustion) in cancer. We identify that the scavenger receptor CD36 limits anti-tumor CD8+ T cell effector functions through lipid peroxidation. In murine tumors, oxidized phospholipids (OxPLs) were highly abundant and CD8+ TILs increased uptake and accumulation of lipids and lipid peroxidation. Functionally exhausted CD8+ TILs substantially increased CD36 expression and CD36-deficient CD8+ TILs had more robust anti-tumor activity and cytokine production than wild-type cells. We further show that CD36 promotes uptake of oxidized low-density lipoproteins (OxLDL) and induces lipid peroxidation in CD8+ TILs, and OxLDL inhibits CD8+ T cell functions in a CD36-dependent manner. Moreover, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) over-expression lowers lipid peroxidation and restores functionalities in CD8+ TILs. These results define a key role for an oxidized lipid-CD36 axis in promoting intratumoral CD8+ T cell dysfunction.

immunology↗