CD98 Heavy Chain Is a Potent Positive Regulator of CD4+ T Cell Proliferation and Interferon-γ Production In Vivo

Upon their recognition of antigens presented by the MHC, T cell proliferation is vital for clonal expansion and the acquisition of effector functions, which are essential for mounting adaptive immune responses. The CD98 heavy chain (CD98hc, Slc3a2) plays a crucial role in the proliferation of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, although it is unclear if CD98hc directly regulates the T cell effector functions that are not linked with T cell proliferation in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that CD98hc is required for both CD4+ T cell proliferation and Th1 functional differentiation. T cell-specific deletion of CD98hc did not affect T cell development in the thymus. CD98hc-deficient CD4+ T cells proliferated in vivo more slowly as compared with control T cells. C57BL/6 mice lacking CD98hc in their CD4+ T cells could not control Leishmania major infections due to lowered IFN-γ production, even with massive CD4+ T cell proliferation. CD98hc-deficient CD4+ T cells exhibited lower IFN-γ production compared with wild-type T cells, even when comparing IFN-γ expression in cells that underwent the same number of cell divisions. Therefore, these data indicate that CD98hc is required for CD4+ T cell expansion and functional Th1 differentiation in vivo, and suggest that CD98hc might be a good target for treating Th1-mediated immune disorders.