No abstract

Highlights d scRNA-seq analyses highlight conserved myeloid subsets in human and murine CRC d Two distinct TAM subsets show inflammatory and angiogenic signatures, respectively d Two distinct TAM subsets show differential sensitivity to CSF1R blockade d Anti-CD40 activates specific cDC1s and expands Th1-like and CD8 + memory T cells

No abstract

The transcription factors c-Myc and N-Myc encoded by Myc and Mycn, respectively, regulate cellular growth1 and are required for embryonic development2,3. A third paralog, Mycl1, is dispensable for normal embryonic development but its normal biologic function has remained unclear4. To examine the in vivo function of Mycl1, we generated an inactivating Mycl1gfp allele that also reports Mycl1 expression. We found that Mycl1 was selectively expressed in dendritic cells (DCs) of the immune system and controlled by IRF8, and that during DC development, Mycl1 expression was initiated in the common DC progenitor5 (CDP) concurrent with reduction in c-Myc expression. Mature DCs lacked expression of c-Myc and N-Myc, but maintained L-Myc expression even in the presence of inflammatory signals, such as GM-CSF. All DC subsets developed in Mycl1-deficient mice, but several DC subsets, such as migratory CD103+ cDCs in the lung and liver, were significantly reduced at steady state. Importantly, loss of L-Myc by DCs caused a significant decrease in the in vivo T-cell priming during infection by Listeria monocytogenes and vesicular stomatitis virus. The replacement of c-Myc by L-Myc in immature DCs may provide for Myc transcriptional activity in the setting of inflammation that is required for optimal T-cell priming6.

Summary CD8+ T cells and NK cells protect from viral infections by killing virally-infected cells and secreting interferon-γ. Several inhibitory receptors limit the magnitude and duration of these anti-viral responses. NKG2A, which is encoded by Klrc1, is a lectin-like inhibitory receptor that is expressed as a heterodimer with CD94 on NK cells and activated CD8+ T cells. Previous studies on the impact of CD94/NKG2A heterodimers on anti-viral responses have yielded contrasting results and the in vivo function of NKG2A remains unclear. Here, we generated Klrc1−/− mice and found that NKG2A is selectively required for resistance to ectromelia virus (ECTV). NKG2A functions intrinsically within ECTV-specific CD8+ T cells to limit excessive activation, prevent apoptosis, and preserve the specific CD8+ T cell response. Thus, while inhibitory receptors often cause T cell exhaustion and viral spreading during chronic viral infections, NKG2A optimizes CD8+ T cell responses during an acute poxvirus infection.