LRP11 promotes stem-like T cells via MAPK13-mediated TCF1 phosphorylation, enhancing anti-PD1 immunotherapy

Tumor-infiltrating T cells enter an exhausted or dysfunctional state, which limits antitumor immunity. Among exhausted T cells, a subset of cells with features of progenitor or stem-like cells has been identified as TCF1⁺ CD8⁺ T cells that respond to immunotherapy. In contrast to the finding that TCF1 controls epigenetic and transcriptional reprogramming in tumor-infiltrating stem-like T cells, little is known about the regulation of TCF1. Emerging data show that elevated body mass index is associated with outcomes of immunotherapy. However, the mechanism has not been clarified.

We investigated the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes or CD8⁺ T cells induced by CD3/CD28 stimulation in vitro. We evaluated the effects of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and LRP11 inhibitors, as well as MAPK13 inhibitors. Additionally, we used shRNA technology to validate the roles of LRP11 and MAPK13. In an in vivo setting, we employed male C57BL/6J injected with B16 cells or MC38 cells to build a tumor model to assess the effects of LDL and LRP11 inhibitors, LRP11 activators, MAPK13 inhibitors on tumor growth. Flow cytometry was used to measure cell proportions and activation status. Molecular interactions and TCF1 status were examined using Western blotting. Moreover, we employed RNA sequencing to investigate the effects of LDL stimulation and MAPK13 inhibition in CD8⁺ T cells.

By using a tumor-bearing mouse model, we found that LDL-induced tumor-infiltrating TCF1⁺PD1⁺CD8⁺ T cells. Using a cell-based chimeric receptor screening system, we showed that LRP11 interacted with LDL and activated TCF1. LRP11 activation enhanced TCF1⁺PD1⁺CD8⁺ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity, consistent with LRP11 blocking impaired T-cell function. Mechanistically, LRP11 activation induces MAPK13 activation. Then, MAPK13 phosphorylates TCF1, leading to increase of stem-like T cells.

LRP11-MAPK13-TCF1 enhanced antitumor immunity and induced tumor-infiltrating stem-like T cells.