Protein Kinase CK2 Controls CD8+ T Cell Effector and Memory Function during Infection. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Protein kinase CK2 is a serine/threonine kinase composed of two catalytic subunits (CK2α and/or CK2α') and two regulatory subunits (CK2β). CK2 promotes cancer progression by activating the NF-κB, PI3K/AKT/mTOR, and JAK/STAT pathways, and also is critical for immune cell development and function. The potential involvement of CK2 in CD8+ T cell function has not been explored. We demonstrate that CK2 protein levels and kinase activity are enhanced upon mouse CD8+ T cell activation. CK2α deficiency results in impaired CD8+ T cell activation and proliferation upon TCR stimulation. Furthermore, CK2α is involved in CD8+ T cell metabolic reprogramming through regulating the AKT/mTOR pathway. Lastly, using a mouse Listeria monocytogenes infection model, we demonstrate that CK2α is required for CD8+ T cell expansion, maintenance, and effector function in both primary and memory immune responses. Collectively, our study implicates CK2α as an important regulator of mouse CD8+ T cell activation, metabolic reprogramming, and differentiation both in vitro and in vivo.

authors

  • Yang, Wei
  • Wei, Hairong
  • Benavides, Gloria A
  • Turbitt, William J
  • Buckley, Jessica A
  • Ouyang, Xiaosen
  • Zhou, Lianna
  • Zhang, Jianhua
  • Harrington, Laurie E
  • Darley-Usmar, Victor M
  • Qin, Hongwei
  • Benveniste, Etty N

publication date

  • August 1, 2022

Research

keywords

  • Casein Kinase II
  • NF-kappa B

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC9492634

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 85136480345

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.4049/jimmunol.2101080

PubMed ID

  • 35914835

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 209

issue

  • 5