Repertoire analyses reveal T cell antigen receptor sequence features that influence T cell fate.

Nat Immunol
Authors
Abstract

T cells acquire a regulatory phenotype when their T cell antigen receptors (TCRs) experience an intermediate- to high-affinity interaction with a self-peptide presented via the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Using TCRβ sequences from flow-sorted human cells, we identified TCR features that promote regulatory T cell (T) fate. From these results, we developed a scoring system to quantify TCR-intrinsic regulatory potential (TiRP). When applied to the tumor microenvironment, TiRP scoring helped to explain why only some T cell clones maintained the conventional T cell (T) phenotype through expansion. To elucidate drivers of these predictive TCR features, we then examined the two elements of the T TCR ligand separately: the self-peptide and the human MHC class II molecule. These analyses revealed that hydrophobicity in the third complementarity-determining region (CDR3β) of the TCR promotes reactivity to self-peptides, while TCR variable gene (TRBV gene) usage shapes the TCR's general propensity for human MHC class II-restricted activation.

Year of Publication
2022
Journal
Nat Immunol
Date Published
2022 Feb 17
ISSN
1529-2916
DOI
10.1038/s41590-022-01129-x
PubMed ID
35177831
Links
Grant list
U19-AI111224-01 / U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
P01AI148102-01A1 / U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
U01-HG009379-04S1 / U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
1R01AR063759 / U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | National Institutes of Health (NIH)
K08 AR072791 / AR / NIAMS NIH HHS / United States
P01 AI039671 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
P01 CA236749 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
P01 AI108545 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
T32GM007753 / U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
T32GM007753 / U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS)
T32AR007530 / U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS)
Career Award for Medical Sciences / Burroughs Wellcome Fund (BWF)