GZMK-expressing tissue-resident memory CD8⁺ T cells participate in human intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease

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Abstract

Intestinal acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) is a common life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Although tissue-resident memory T (TRM) cells are thought to play a pathophysiological role in animal models of aGVHD, little is known about the role of distinct subsets of TRM cells in human intestinal aGVHD. Herein, we combined multiplex immunohistochemical staining with single-cell RNA sequencing to elucidate the differentiation trajectory, lineage commitment, clonal expansion, and functional properties of distinct CD8+ TRM cell subsets in human intestinal aGVHD. We identified a predominant GZMK+CD8+ TRM subset, characterized by the GZMK and CD49A markers. Intestinal aGVHD was associated with infiltration of GZMK+CD8+ T cells with TRM features, which showed enhanced clonal expansion, IFN signaling pathway–associated proinflammatory pathway expression, and lineage bifurcation differentiation properties. High GZMK+CD8+ TRM subset infiltration was associated with greater human intestinal aGVHD severity and poor prognosis. Together, our studies highlight the importance of the GZMK+CD8+ TRM subset in human intestinal aGVHD, and interest for designing GZMK+CD8+ TRM cell–targeted therapies.

Authors

Yiming Sun, Yutong Xue, Chenyuyao Song, Xinyu Liu, Ruoyang Shao, Zhiping Fan, Ren Lin, Fen Huang, Na Xu, Li Xuan, Min Dai, Jing Sun, Qifa Liu, Hua Jin