RIG-I Stimulation Enhances Effector Function and Proliferation of Primary Human CD8 T Cells

Cytotoxic CD8 T lymphocytes (CTL) are crucial in antiviral immune responses. However, their recruitment to infection sites renders them at risk of viral infection that could modulate their effector activity. CTL express RIG-I that detects cytosolic viral RNA and subsequently induce antiviral gene expression. Here, we investigated how influenza A virus (IAV) infection influence TCR-dependent effector responses. IAV infection of CTL stimulated RIG-I, and activated downstream pathways including TBK1 and NF-B, resulting in type-I interferon secretion. Transfection of CTL with a pure RIG-I ligand, tri-phosphorylated double stranded RNA(3p-dsRNA), not only stimulated these pathways but also enhanced CTL proliferation in vitro and protected them from IAV infection. Analogous with a positive effect on CD8 effector function, both IAV infection and RIG-I ligand transfection enhanced CTL degranulation and cytokine secretion. Conversely, activation of CTL via CD3/CD28-crosslinking increased their susceptibility to IAV infection. Altogether, RIG-I stimulation either by IAV infection or 3p-dsRNA transfection promoted cell intrinsic antiviral pathways and enhanced CD8 effector functions. These findings suggest that RIG-I agonists could enhance and prolong CTL effector function in immunotherapy.