Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-14-2019

Keywords

JMG

JAX Source

Cell Rep 2019 May 14; 27(7):2063-74.

Volume

27

Issue

7

First Page

2063

Last Page

2074

ISSN

2211-1247

PMID

31091446

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2019.04.022

Abstract

Competition for nutrients like glucose can metabolically restrict T cells and contribute to their hyporesponsiveness during cancer. Metabolic adaptation to the surrounding microenvironment is therefore key for maintaining appropriate cell function. For instance, cancer cells use acetate as a substrate alternative to glucose to fuel metabolism and growth. Here, we show that acetate rescues effector function in glucose-restricted CD8+ T cells. Mechanistically, acetate promotes histone acetylation and chromatin accessibility and enhances IFN-γ gene transcription and cytokine production in an acetyl-CoA synthetase (ACSS)-dependent manner. Ex vivo acetate treatment increases IFN-γ production by exhausted T cells, whereas reducing ACSS expression in T cells impairs IFN-γ production by tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and tumor clearance. Thus, hyporesponsive T cells can be epigenetically remodeled and reactivated by acetate, suggesting that pathways regulating the use of substrates alternative to glucose could be therapeutically targeted to promote T cell function during cancer.

Comments

This article is available under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND license.

Share

COinS