Vps34 sustains Treg cell survival and function via regulating intracellular redox homeostasis

Abstract

The survival and suppressive function of regulatory T (Treg) cells rely on various intracellular metabolic and physiological processes. Our study demonstrates that Vps34 plays a critical role in maintaining Treg cell homeostasis and function by regulating cellular metabolic activities. Disruption of Vps34 in Treg cells leads to spontaneous fatal systemic autoimmune disorder and multi-tissue inflammatory damage, accompanied by a reduction in the number of Treg cells, particularly eTreg cells with highly immunosuppressive activity. Mechanistically, the poor survival of Vps34-deficient Treg cells is attributed to impaired endocytosis, intracellular vesicular trafficking and autophagosome formation, which further results in enhanced mitochondrial respiration and excessive ROS production. Removal of excessive ROS can effectively rescue the death of Vps34-deficient Treg cells. Functionally, acute deletion of Vps34 within established Treg cells enhances anti-tumor immunity in a malignant melanoma model by boosting T-cell-mediated anti-tumor activity. Overall, our results underscore the pivotal role played by Vps34 in orchestrating Treg cell homeostasis and function towards establishing immune homeostasis and tolerance.