PD-1-induced T cell exhaustion is controlled by a Drp1-dependent mechanism

Abstract

PD-1 signalling downregulates the T cell response, promoting an exhausted state in tumor-infiltrating T cells, through mostly unveiled molecular mechanisms. Drp1-dependent mitochondrial fission plays a crucial role to sustain T cell motility, proliferation, survival and glycolytic engagement and, interestingly, such processes are exactly those inhibited by PD-1 in tumor-infiltrating T cells. Here we show that the signature of PD-1pos CD8+ T cells infiltrating MC38-derived murine tumor mass is having downregulated Drp1 activity and more fused mitochondria, compared to PD-1neg counterparts. Also, PD-1pos lymphocytic elements infiltrating human colon cancer rarely express active Drp1. Mechanistically, PD-1 signalling directly prevents mitochondria fragmentation following T cell stimulation by downregulating Drp1 phosphorylation on Ser616, via regulation of the ERK1/2 and mTOR pathways. In addition, downregulation of Drp1 activity in tumor-infiltrating PD-1pos CD8+ T cells seems to be a mechanism exploited by PD-1 signalling to reduce motility and proliferation of these cells. Overall, our data indicate that the modulation of Drp1 activity in tumor-infiltrating T cells may become a valuable target to ameliorate the anti-cancer immune response in future immunotherapy approaches.