Figure 3.
Transcription factors involved in regulating lineage differentiation of naïve CD8 T cells into effector and T cell exhaustion fates in chronic viral infections and immunogenic cancers. (a) Illustrates naïve CD8 T cells upon exposure to chronic viral infections initially differentiate into effector T cells, but with persistent antigen presence, effector T cells fail to activate terminal T effector program instead generate a PD1ModTCF1+ precursor T exhaustion population. This precursor population gives rise to mature pool of exhausted T cells that are hyporesponsive, undergo cytokine failure, and upregulate exhaustion specific markers. Exhausted T cells lose the capacity to eliminate chronic infections. (b) Illustrates the role of antigen-presenting cells especially tissue resident conventional dendritic cells in acquiring tumor antigens, processing and presenting to CD8 T cells. The reaction occurs in draining lymph nodes. The list of transcription factors involved in T cell exhaustion to tumors is provided.