Santosha Adipudi Vardhana

Cysteine reactivity profiling links metabolic rewiring to the dysfunctional human T cell proteome.

In chronically stimulated human T cells, suppressed oxidative metabolism and nucleotide loss accompany MAP2K4 activation. Inhibiting MAP2K4 (with the MKK4/7 inhibitor BSJ-04-122) restored tumor-cell killing in vitro.

Systemic iron sequestration restricts the intratumoral CD8+ T cell landscape in pancreas cancer

This study shows that systemic iron sequestration via hepcidin reduces CD8+ T cells in pancreas cancer, linking iron dysregulation to tumoral immunity.

Neoantigen-reactive CD8+ T cell engagement marks exceptional survivors of pancreatic cancer

The paper identifies TIE CD8+ T cell clonotypes associated with prolonged survival in pancreatic cancer patients and links resistance to stromal and immune barriers.

MEK-dependent bioenergetic demand drives terminal CD8+ T cell exhaustion

This study shows that MEK inhibition reduces mitochondrial dysfunction and terminal CD8+ T cell exhaustion by decreasing nutrient uptake and RNA polymerase II activity.

Mitochondrial ATP production promotes T cell differentiation and function by regulating chromatin accessibility

This study shows that mitochondrial ATP production, induced by D-α-hydroxybutyrate, promotes T cell differentiation and function by regulating chromatin accessibility and gene expression.

Disrupted priming within draining lymph nodes drives immune quiescence in gastric cancer

The paper identifies impaired T cell priming and KLF2-dependent quiescence in gastric cancer draining lymph nodes as mechanisms limiting immune responses.

Intratumoral amino acid insufficiency limits CD8+ T-cell effector function

This study shows that limited amino acid availability in tumors impairs CD8+ T-cell cytotoxic function by reducing protein synthesis, and demonstrates strategies to restore this function.

Leucine zipper-based sorting system enables generation of multi-functional CAR T cells

This paper introduces a leucine zipper-based sorting system to generate T cells with multiple CARs and switch receptors, enhancing their ability to target heterogeneous tumors.