mTORC1 Inhibition Protects Human Regulatory T Cells From Granzyme-B-Induced Apoptosis

Abstract

Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have shown great promise as a means of cellular therapy in a multitude of allo- and auto-immune diseases—due in part to their immunosuppressive potency. Nevertheless, the clinical efficacy of human Tregsin patients has been limited by their poorin vivohomeostasis. To avert apoptosis, Tregsrequire stable antigenic (CD3ζ/T-cell-receptor-mediated), co-stimulatory (CD28-driven), and cytokine (IL-2-dependent) signaling. Notably, this sequence of signals supports an activated Tregphenotype that includes a high expression of granzymes, particularly granzyme B (GrB). Previously, we have shown that aside from the functional effects of GrB in lysing target cells to modulate allo-immunity, GrB can leak out of the intracellular lysosomal granules of host Tregs, initiating pro-apoptotic pathways. Here, we assessed the role of inhibiting mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), a recently favored drug target in the transplant field, in regulating human TregapoptosisviaGrB. Usingex vivomodels of human Tregculture and a humanized mouse model of human skin allotransplantation, we found that by inhibiting mTORC1 using rapamycin, intracytoplasmic expression and functionality of GrB diminished in host Tregs; lowering human Tregapoptosis by in part decreasing the phosphorylation of S6K and c-Jun. These findings support the already clinically validated effects of mTORC1 inhibition in patients, most notably their stabilization of Tregbioactivity andin vivohomeostasis.