WNK1-dependent water influx is required for CD4+ T cell activation and T cell-dependent antibody responses

Abstract Signaling from the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) on CD4+ T cells plays a critical role in adaptive immune responses by inducing T cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation. Here we demonstrate that WNK1, a kinase implicated in osmoregulation in the kidney, is required in T cells t...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Joshua Biggs O’May, Lesley Vanes, Leonard L. de Boer, David A. Lewis, Harald Hartweger, Simone Kunzelmann, Darryl Hayward, Miriam Llorian, Robert Köchl, Victor L. J. Tybulewicz
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-02-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56778-x
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850252011881103360
author Joshua Biggs O’May
Lesley Vanes
Leonard L. de Boer
David A. Lewis
Harald Hartweger
Simone Kunzelmann
Darryl Hayward
Miriam Llorian
Robert Köchl
Victor L. J. Tybulewicz
author_facet Joshua Biggs O’May
Lesley Vanes
Leonard L. de Boer
David A. Lewis
Harald Hartweger
Simone Kunzelmann
Darryl Hayward
Miriam Llorian
Robert Köchl
Victor L. J. Tybulewicz
author_sort Joshua Biggs O’May
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Signaling from the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) on CD4+ T cells plays a critical role in adaptive immune responses by inducing T cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation. Here we demonstrate that WNK1, a kinase implicated in osmoregulation in the kidney, is required in T cells to support T-dependent antibody responses. We show that the canonical WNK1-OXSR1-STK39 kinase signaling pathway is required for TCR signaling in CD4+ T cells, their subsequent entry into the cell cycle, and suppression of the ATR-mediated G2/M cell cycle checkpoint. We show that the WNK1 pathway regulates ion influx leading to water influx, potentially through AQP3, and that water influx is required for TCR-induced signaling and cell cycle entry. Thus, TCR signaling via WNK1, OXSR1, STK39 and AQP3 leads to water entry that is essential for CD4+ T cell proliferation and hence T cell-dependent antibody responses.
format Article
id doaj-art-bfa737ae10e149d88975b788b64fea97
institution OA Journals
issn 2041-1723
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Nature Communications
spelling doaj-art-bfa737ae10e149d88975b788b64fea972025-08-20T01:57:45ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-02-0116111710.1038/s41467-025-56778-xWNK1-dependent water influx is required for CD4+ T cell activation and T cell-dependent antibody responsesJoshua Biggs O’May0Lesley Vanes1Leonard L. de Boer2David A. Lewis3Harald Hartweger4Simone Kunzelmann5Darryl Hayward6Miriam Llorian7Robert Köchl8Victor L. J. Tybulewicz9The Francis Crick InstituteThe Francis Crick InstituteThe Francis Crick InstituteThe Francis Crick InstituteThe Francis Crick InstituteThe Francis Crick InstituteThe Francis Crick InstituteThe Francis Crick InstituteThe Francis Crick InstituteThe Francis Crick InstituteAbstract Signaling from the T cell antigen receptor (TCR) on CD4+ T cells plays a critical role in adaptive immune responses by inducing T cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation. Here we demonstrate that WNK1, a kinase implicated in osmoregulation in the kidney, is required in T cells to support T-dependent antibody responses. We show that the canonical WNK1-OXSR1-STK39 kinase signaling pathway is required for TCR signaling in CD4+ T cells, their subsequent entry into the cell cycle, and suppression of the ATR-mediated G2/M cell cycle checkpoint. We show that the WNK1 pathway regulates ion influx leading to water influx, potentially through AQP3, and that water influx is required for TCR-induced signaling and cell cycle entry. Thus, TCR signaling via WNK1, OXSR1, STK39 and AQP3 leads to water entry that is essential for CD4+ T cell proliferation and hence T cell-dependent antibody responses.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56778-x
spellingShingle Joshua Biggs O’May
Lesley Vanes
Leonard L. de Boer
David A. Lewis
Harald Hartweger
Simone Kunzelmann
Darryl Hayward
Miriam Llorian
Robert Köchl
Victor L. J. Tybulewicz
WNK1-dependent water influx is required for CD4+ T cell activation and T cell-dependent antibody responses
Nature Communications
title WNK1-dependent water influx is required for CD4+ T cell activation and T cell-dependent antibody responses
title_full WNK1-dependent water influx is required for CD4+ T cell activation and T cell-dependent antibody responses
title_fullStr WNK1-dependent water influx is required for CD4+ T cell activation and T cell-dependent antibody responses
title_full_unstemmed WNK1-dependent water influx is required for CD4+ T cell activation and T cell-dependent antibody responses
title_short WNK1-dependent water influx is required for CD4+ T cell activation and T cell-dependent antibody responses
title_sort wnk1 dependent water influx is required for cd4 t cell activation and t cell dependent antibody responses
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-56778-x
work_keys_str_mv AT joshuabiggsomay wnk1dependentwaterinfluxisrequiredforcd4tcellactivationandtcelldependentantibodyresponses
AT lesleyvanes wnk1dependentwaterinfluxisrequiredforcd4tcellactivationandtcelldependentantibodyresponses
AT leonardldeboer wnk1dependentwaterinfluxisrequiredforcd4tcellactivationandtcelldependentantibodyresponses
AT davidalewis wnk1dependentwaterinfluxisrequiredforcd4tcellactivationandtcelldependentantibodyresponses
AT haraldhartweger wnk1dependentwaterinfluxisrequiredforcd4tcellactivationandtcelldependentantibodyresponses
AT simonekunzelmann wnk1dependentwaterinfluxisrequiredforcd4tcellactivationandtcelldependentantibodyresponses
AT darrylhayward wnk1dependentwaterinfluxisrequiredforcd4tcellactivationandtcelldependentantibodyresponses
AT miriamllorian wnk1dependentwaterinfluxisrequiredforcd4tcellactivationandtcelldependentantibodyresponses
AT robertkochl wnk1dependentwaterinfluxisrequiredforcd4tcellactivationandtcelldependentantibodyresponses
AT victorljtybulewicz wnk1dependentwaterinfluxisrequiredforcd4tcellactivationandtcelldependentantibodyresponses