Cell volume controlled by LRRC8A-formed volume-regulated anion channels fine-tunes T cell activation and function

To become fully functional effector T cells, naïve T cells undergo a drastic metabolic status shift from quiescence to substantial biosynthesis. The synthesis of biomass initiated by T cell receptor (TCR) signals drives the cell volume increase during T cell activation (T lymphoblast), which resembles the slowest extreme of hypotonic cell swelling. However, the fundamental role of cell volume regulation in TCR signaling during T lymphoblast and its underlying mechanisms remain a long-standing enigma. Here we show that optimal T cell activation and function require appropriate cell volume regulation by regulated volume decrease (RVD) mediated via volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) during T cell blast. Pharmacological blockade of VRACs and genetic deletion of LRRC8A in T cells, the essential component of VRACs, impair T cell activation and function, particularly under weak TCR stimulation, such as low-affinity TCR-pMHC engagement and unsaturated anti-CD3e crosslinking. Additionally, LRRC8A has distinct influences on mRNA transcriptional profiles driven by various TCR signal strengths, revealing the prominent effects of cell volume regulation for T cell functions. More importantly, LRRC8A-deficient mice have defective antiviral immunity and obstacles in effector-memory transition of CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, LRRC8A escorts the thymic selection of T cells and shapes the T cell repertoire in the thymus. Mechanistically, LRRC8A governs stringent cell volume increase via RVD during T cell blast induced by activation-driven intracellular osmolytes accumulation to keep the proximal TCR signaling molecules at adequate density. T cell blast driven by TCR signal feedbacks to control T cell activation. Together, our results reveal a previously unappreciated layer of T cell activation regulation that LRRC8A acts as a cell volume controlling "valve" to facilitate T cell activation and function Overall design: To examine whether the TCR signaling controlled by LRRC8A contributes to the formation of TCR repertoire, we performed the TCR sequencing (TCR-seq) analysis of thymocytes from WT (Lrrc8af/f) and LRRC8A KO (Lrrc8af/f; Cd4-Cre) mice.