Autophagy as a survival strategy for CD8+ memory T cells
Final Report Abstract
During my postdoctoral fellowship I could identify autophagy as an essential process that effector CD8+ T cells need to live. To our knowledge, this is the first project that explores the role of autophagy in CD8+ T cells during immune responses in vivo. CD8+ T cells are one component of the adaptive immune response that clears the body of infections or tumors. Knowing which processes these cells need for their maintenance and survival is of importance for research that aims to positively influence CD8+ T cell immune responses. It is furthermore important for considerations of detrimental side effects of drugs. For example, autophagy is one mechanism that tumor cells use to sustain their viability under conditions of low nutrient or oxygen conditions. Several autophagy suppressing drugs are currently in development to target tumor cells. The knowledge that autophagy is an essential process for effector CD8+ T cells is important for drug development for tumor treatments, as CD8+ T cell mediated tumor cell killing is one element of successful tumor eradication.
Publications
- When Cells Suffocate: Autophagy in Cancer and Immune Cells under Low Oxygen. Int J Cell Biol. 2011;2011:470597
Schlie K, Spowart JE, Hughson LR, Townsend KN, Lum JJ
(See online at https://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2011/470597) - Autophagy inhibition in cancer therapy: metabolic considerations for antitumor immunity. Immunol Rev. 2012 Sep;249(1):176‐94
Townsend KN, Hughson LR, Schlie K, Poon VI, Westerback A, Lum JJ
(See online at https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-065X.2012.01141.x) - The role of autophagy in CD8+ T cell responses during viral infection. European Congress of Immunology. 2012. Glasgow, UK
Katrin Schlie
- Autophagy is an essential process for the survival of CD8+ T cells in response to virus infection. Vancouver Autophagy Symposium. 2013. Vancouver, Canada
Katrin Schlie
