Pitt Pediatrics congratulates Erica Braverman, MD and Craig Byersdorfer, MD, PhD, on their recent publication in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Braverman is an Instructor of Pediatrics in the Division of Hematology-Oncology and Byersdorfer is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Assistant Professor of Immunology in the Division of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapies (BMT). 
The paper, titled, “Overexpression of AMPKγ2 increases AMPK signaling to augment human T cell metabolism and function,” explores a potential process for expanding the functional potential of human T cells for use in a variety of adoptive cellular therapies.
Other Pitt affiliated authors on this research include Margaret A. McQuaid, BA, Herbert Schuler, Mengtao Qin, Darlene Monlish, PhD, Andrea Dobbs, Manda J. Ramsey, BS, Felicia Kemp, Christopher Wittman, Archana Ramgopal, DO, and Harrison Brown, all from BMT and the Byersdorfer Lab.
In general, success for T cell-based therapies is often reliant on the metabolic fitness of the employed T cell. In turn, the T cells with enhanced metabolic capacity demonstrate improved efficacy in vivo models. In this particular research, Braverman, Byersdorfer, et al., hypothesized that by increasing the activity of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) - a cellular energy sensor that enforces efficient and flexible metabolic programming - in human T cells, the efficacy of adoptive cellular therapies would also be optimized.
Ultimately, this hypothesis proved highly accurate. Results showed when the AMPK subunit AMPKγ2 was overexpressed in regulatory T cells, both in vitro proliferation and suppressive capacity increased. Together, these two factors indicate that augmented AMPK signaling through the overexpression of AMPKγ2 can improve the expansion and functional potential of human T cells in various cellular therapies.
This important research represents a significant milestone in efforts to improve the efficacy of cellular therapies for patients in both pediatric and adult populations.
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