The integrated stress response pathway controls cytokine production in tissue-resident memory CD4+ T cells

Abstract

Tissue-resident memory T (T_RM) cells are a specialized T cell population that reside in tissues and provide a rapid protective response upon activation. Here, we showed that human and mouse CD4⁺ T_RM cells existed in a poised state and stored messenger RNAs encoding proinflammatory cytokines without protein production. At steady state, cytokine mRNA translation in T_RM cells was suppressed by the integrated stress response (ISR) pathway. Upon activation, the central ISR regulator, eIF2α, was dephosphorylated and stored cytokine mRNA was translated for immediate cytokine production. Genetic or pharmacological activation of the ISR–eIF2α pathway reduced cytokine production and ameliorated autoimmune kidney disease in mice. Consistent with these results, the ISR pathway in CD4⁺ T_RM cells was downregulated in patients with immune-mediated diseases of the kidney and the intestine compared to healthy controls. Our results indicated that stored cytokine mRNA and translational regulation in CD4⁺ T_RM cells facilitate rapid cytokine production during local immune response.