编译丨王聪 编辑丨王多鱼 排版丨水成文 T 细胞耗竭 （ T cell exhaustion ） 是慢性感染和肿瘤微环境中普遍存在的现象，严重削弱了抗肿瘤和抗病毒免疫的有效性。 近年来，在理解 T 细胞耗竭的潜在机制方面取得了重大进展，包括导致这种功能障碍状态的外部因素和细胞内在变化。诸如持续的抗原暴露、免疫检查点信号转 导和细胞因子环境等关键外部因素，以及代谢过程改变、表观遗传修饰和转录重编程等内在变化，均会导致 T 细胞功能障碍。 靶向 T 细胞耗竭的新兴疗法旨在恢复免疫功能，并增强抗肿瘤和抗病毒免疫力。这些治疗策略包括免疫检查点抑制、细胞因子疗法、代谢重编程以及细胞疗法。 尽管取得了这些进展，但逆转 T 细胞耗竭仍面临诸多挑战 （例如患者的个体差异、耐药性以及潜在的副作用） 。此外，准确评估 T 细胞功能恢复的标志物以及 这些治疗方法的长期影响，仍是具有挑战性的研究领域。 2026 年 1 月 1 日，苏州大学苏州医学院 周芳芳 教授、浙江大学生命科学研究院 张龙 教 授 、 绍兴市上虞人民医院 虞伟星 医生等， 在 Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy 期刊 ...

Core Viewpoint - CAR-T cell therapy has shown significant efficacy in treating hematological malignancies, prompting research into its application for solid tumors, particularly glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), which presents unique treatment challenges due to its aggressive nature and lack of effective therapies [2][4]. Group 1: T Cell Exhaustion and Mechanisms - T cell exhaustion is a major barrier to the efficacy of CAR-T cell therapy in solid tumors, characterized by reduced proliferation, impaired effector function, and increased expression of inhibitory receptors [2][4]. - Recent advancements in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) have provided insights into the molecular mechanisms of T cell exhaustion, identifying key regulatory factors such as DNMT3A, SOX4, and PRDM1 that limit T cell anti-tumor activity [2][4]. Group 2: Research Findings on NR4A3 and FOS - A study published in Science Advances found that knocking down NR4A3 enhances CAR-T cell efficacy against malignant gliomas, but this effect diminishes due to T cell exhaustion induced by chronic antigen exposure [3][5]. - Enhancing FOS expression in NR4A3-deficient CAR-T cells can reverse T cell functional exhaustion, thereby maintaining tumor clearance capabilities and improving therapeutic efficacy [3][5][6]. Group 3: Implications for CAR-T Cell Therapy - The research highlights the critical role of NR4A3 in regulating T cell cytotoxicity and memory formation during early antigen exposure, suggesting a combined genetic modification strategy of NR4A3 knockdown and FOS overexpression to protect CAR-T cells from exhaustion [6][8]. - This dual modification approach could lead to sustained tumor clearance in solid tumors, offering a promising new strategy for optimizing CAR-T cell therapy in clinical settings [5][6].

Core Viewpoint - T cell exhaustion is a unique state of T cell dysfunction that occurs during chronic antigen stimulation, significantly impacting immune responses in chronic infections and cancer [5][6]. Group 1: Mechanisms of T Cell Exhaustion - T cell exhaustion is characterized by impaired effector functions, reduced proliferation, and sustained expression of inhibitory receptors such as PD1, LAG3, and TIM3 [5]. - The development of T cell exhaustion is coordinated by complex interactions among transcriptional, epigenetic, and environmental factors, with transcription factors like NFAT, TOX, and NR4A1 playing crucial roles [5][12]. - Recent studies have identified a unique cell population known as exhausted T cell precursors (Tpex), which retain proliferative capacity and respond to immune checkpoint blockade therapy, providing insights for potential therapeutic strategies [5][6]. Group 2: Environmental Regulation of T Cell Exhaustion - The microenvironment significantly influences CD8⁺ T cell exhaustion, with various cytokines and metabolites modulating T cell function and fate [10][14]. - Understanding the environmental signals that drive or limit T cell exhaustion is essential for rejuvenating T cell responses in chronic diseases and enhancing the effectiveness of immunotherapy [6][14]. Group 3: Therapeutic Implications - The review highlights the importance of understanding the regulatory factors of T cell exhaustion to develop and improve immunotherapies targeting these pathways for cancer and chronic infections [14]. - By elucidating the mechanisms that guide the fate and function of different exhausted T cell subsets, the research provides critical references for developing targeted immunotherapies [14].

Core Insights - The article discusses T cell exhaustion as a critical mechanism in cancer immunotherapy resistance, highlighting the role of a specific stress response called Tex-PSR [3][4][10] Group 1: T Cell Exhaustion Mechanism - T cell exhaustion (Tex) is characterized by reduced effector function and increased expression of inhibitory receptors, driven by persistent antigen exposure and adverse microenvironments [3] - The study identifies a unique stress response, Tex-PSR, which is triggered by the accumulation of misfolded proteins, leading to T cell exhaustion and immune evasion [4][9] Group 2: Research Findings - The research provides a comprehensive protein landscape of Tex cells under various conditions, revealing inconsistencies between mRNA transcription levels and protein expression [7][8] - Tex-PSR is marked by increased global protein synthesis, unlike the classical unfolded protein response (UPR), which typically inhibits protein synthesis [8][13] Group 3: Clinical Implications - The findings suggest that targeting the Tex-PSR pathway could represent a new direction for cancer immunotherapy, potentially improving T cell vitality and reversing exhaustion [10][12] - The study indicates that the Tex-PSR characteristics are also present in exhausted T cells from human cancer patients, correlating with poor clinical responses to immunotherapy [9][10]