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Updated: Aug 30, 2026

Generation of Orthotopic Pancreatic Tumors and Ex vivo Characterization of Tumor-Infiltrating T Cell Cytotoxicity
Published on: December 7, 2019
Production of ribosome components in effector CD4+ T cells is accelerated by TCR stimulation and coordinated by
Mohammed Asmal1, John Colgan, Felix Naef
1Department of Microbiology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, 701 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA.
Abstract:
Effector CD4+ T cells rapidly activate high-level cytokine expression following TCR stimulation. Consistent with accelerated protein production in these cells, global mRNA profiles revealed that, after cytokines, the most impressive cluster of activated genes encode rRNA-maturation factors. Activation of these genes was ERK-MAPK dependent, accompanied by increased rRNA transcription and faster maturation kinetics, and much greater in effector CD4+ T cells than in naive cells. Ribosomal protein subunit (RPS) synthesis was also ERK-MAPK dependent and increased to match rRNA production, but without evident increase in RPS mRNA. Instead, stimulation promoted polysome loading of RPS mRNA via cis-acting, 5'-terminal oligopyrimidines. These results demonstrate how, in response to extracellular signals, effector CD4+ T cells coordinately increase multiple ribosomal components to accommodate burgeoning cytokine production.
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