Divergent clonal differentiation trajectories of T cell exhaustion

B Daniel, KE Yost, S Hsiung, K Sandor, Y Xia, Y Qi… - Nature …, 2022 - nature.com
B Daniel, KE Yost, S Hsiung, K Sandor, Y Xia, Y Qi, KJ Hiam-Galvez, M Black, C J. Raposo…
Nature immunology, 2022nature.com
Chronic antigen exposure during viral infection or cancer promotes an exhausted T cell
(Tex) state with reduced effector function. However, whether all antigen-specific T cell clones
follow the same Tex differentiation trajectory remains unclear. Here, we generate a single-
cell multiomic atlas of T cell exhaustion in murine chronic viral infection that redefines Tex
phenotypic diversity, including two late-stage Tex subsets with either a terminal exhaustion
(Texterm) or a killer cell lectin-like receptor-expressing cytotoxic (TexKLR) phenotype. We …
Abstract
Chronic antigen exposure during viral infection or cancer promotes an exhausted T cell (Tex) state with reduced effector function. However, whether all antigen-specific T cell clones follow the same Tex differentiation trajectory remains unclear. Here, we generate a single-cell multiomic atlas of T cell exhaustion in murine chronic viral infection that redefines Tex phenotypic diversity, including two late-stage Tex subsets with either a terminal exhaustion (Texterm) or a killer cell lectin-like receptor-expressing cytotoxic (TexKLR) phenotype. We use paired single-cell RNA and T cell receptor sequencing to uncover clonal differentiation trajectories of Texterm-biased, TexKLR-biased or divergent clones that acquire both phenotypes. We show that high T cell receptor signaling avidity correlates with Texterm, whereas low avidity correlates with effector-like TexKLR fate. Finally, we identify similar clonal differentiation trajectories in human tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. These findings reveal clonal heterogeneity in the T cell response to chronic antigen that influences Tex fates and persistence.
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