Jeremy Bjelajac
Ph.D. Student in Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, admitted Autumn 2020
All Publications
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Enhanced T cell effector activity by targeting the Mediator kinase module.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
2022; 378 (6620): eabn5647
Abstract
T cells are the major arm of the immune system responsible for controlling and regressing cancers. To identify genes limiting T cell function, we conducted genome-wide CRISPR knockout screens in human chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Top hits were MED12 and CCNC, components of the Mediator kinase module. Targeted MED12 deletion enhanced antitumor activity and sustained the effector phenotype in CAR- and T cell receptor-engineered T cells, and inhibition of CDK8/19 kinase activity increased expansion of nonengineered T cells. MED12-deficient T cells manifested increased core Meditator chromatin occupancy at transcriptionally active enhancers-most notably for STAT and AP-1 transcription factors-and increased IL2RA expression and interleukin-2 sensitivity. These results implicate Mediator in T cell effector programming and identify the kinase module as a target for enhancing potency of antitumor T cell responses.
View details for DOI 10.1126/science.abn5647
View details for PubMedID 36356142