mTOR complex 1 signaling regulates the generation and function of central and effector Foxp3+ regulatory T cells

IH Sun, MH Oh, L Zhao, CH Patel… - The Journal of …, 2018 - journals.aai.org
IH Sun, MH Oh, L Zhao, CH Patel, ML Arwood, W Xu, AJ Tam, RL Blosser, J Wen, JD Powell
The Journal of Immunology, 2018journals.aai.org
The mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has emerged as a critical
integrator of signals from the immune microenvironment capable of regulating T cell
activation, differentiation, and function. The precise role of mTOR in the control of regulatory
T cell (Treg) differentiation and function is complex. Pharmacologic inhibition and genetic
deletion of mTOR promotes the generation of Tregs even under conditions that would
normally promote generation of effector T cells. Alternatively, mTOR activity has been …
Abstract
The mechanistic/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) has emerged as a critical integrator of signals from the immune microenvironment capable of regulating T cell activation, differentiation, and function. The precise role of mTOR in the control of regulatory T cell (Treg) differentiation and function is complex. Pharmacologic inhibition and genetic deletion of mTOR promotes the generation of Tregs even under conditions that would normally promote generation of effector T cells. Alternatively, mTOR activity has been observed to be increased in Tregs, and the genetic deletion of the mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1)–scaffold protein Raptor inhibits Treg function. In this study, by employing both pharmacologic inhibitors and genetically altered T cells, we seek to clarify the role of mTOR in Tregs. Our studies demonstrate that inhibition of mTOR during T cell activation promotes the generation of long-lived central Tregs with a memory-like phenotype in mice. Metabolically, these central memory Tregs possess enhanced spare respiratory capacity, similar to CD8+ memory cells. Alternatively, the generation of effector Tregs (eTregs) requires mTOR function. Indeed, genetic deletion of Rptor leads to the decreased expression of ICOS and PD-1 on the eTregs. Overall, our studies define a subset of mTORC1 hi eTregs and mTORC1 lo central Tregs.
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