Canonical BAF Complex activity licenses CD8+ T cell effector fates

Effector, Memory, and Dysfunctional CD8+ T Cell Fates in the Antitumor Immune Response

The adaptive immune system plays a pivotal role in the host's ability to mount an effective, antigen-specific immune response against tumors. CD8(+) tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) mediate tumor rejection through recognition of tumor antigens and direct killing of transformed cells. In growing tumors, TILs are often functionally impaired as a result of interaction with, or signals from, t...

Functional and genomic profiling of effector CD8 T cell subsets with distinct memory fates

An important question in memory development is understanding the differences between effector CD8 T cells that die versus effector cells that survive and give rise to memory cells. In this study, we provide a comprehensive phenotypic, functional, and genomic profiling of terminal effectors and memory precursors. Using killer cell lectin-like receptor G1 as a marker to distinguish these effector...

Notch controls effector CD8+ T cell differentiation

CD8+ T cell recognition of foreign antigen induces the expansion of the few T cells bearing an appropriate T cell receptor and the acquisition of effector functions. These effector CD8+ T (Te) cells eliminate the pathogen by secretion of cytokines or by direct cytotoxicity. Following this initial clonal expansion, 90-95% of the Te cells die while the few others further differentiate into memory...

Self-Antigen Prevents CD8 T Cell Effector

One naive T cell, multiple fates in CD8+ T cell differentiation

The mechanism by which the immune system produces effector and memory T cells is largely unclear. To allow a large-scale assessment of the development of single naive T cells into different subsets, we have developed a technology that introduces unique genetic tags (barcodes) into naive T cells. By comparing the barcodes present in antigen-specific effector and memory T cell populations in syst...