Type I interferons affect the metabolic fitness of CD8+ T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Norzawani Buang, Lunnathaya Tapeng, Victor Gray, Alessandro Sardini, Chad Whilding, Liz Lightstone, Thomas D. Cairns, Matthew C. Pickering, Jacques Behmoaras, Guang Sheng Ling () and Marina Botto ()
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Norzawani Buang: Imperial College London
Lunnathaya Tapeng: Imperial College London
Victor Gray: Imperial College London
Alessandro Sardini: Imperial College London
Chad Whilding: Imperial College London
Liz Lightstone: Imperial College London
Thomas D. Cairns: Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Matthew C. Pickering: Imperial College London
Jacques Behmoaras: Imperial College London
Guang Sheng Ling: Imperial College London
Marina Botto: Imperial College London

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-15

Abstract: Abstract The majority of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have high expression of type I IFN-stimulated genes. Mitochondrial abnormalities have also been reported, but the contribution of type I IFN exposure to these changes is unknown. Here, we show downregulation of mitochondria-derived genes and mitochondria-associated metabolic pathways in IFN-High patients from transcriptomic analysis of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. CD8+ T cells from these patients have enlarged mitochondria and lower spare respiratory capacity associated with increased cell death upon rechallenge with TCR stimulation. These mitochondrial abnormalities can be phenocopied by exposing CD8+ T cells from healthy volunteers to type I IFN and TCR stimulation. Mechanistically these ‘SLE-like’ conditions increase CD8+ T cell NAD+ consumption resulting in impaired mitochondrial respiration and reduced cell viability, both of which can be rectified by NAD+ supplementation. Our data suggest that type I IFN exposure contributes to SLE pathogenesis by promoting CD8+ T cell death via metabolic rewiring.

Date: 2021
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-22312-y

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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22312-y

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