Basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-like 3 (BATF3)

Basic leucine zipper transcription factor ATF-like 3 (BATF3) is a member of the AP-1 family of transcription factors that plays a pivotal role in the development of the cDC1 lineage of dendritic cells (UniProt Q9NRG7). These specific dendritic cells are essential for the cross-presentation of tumor-derived antigens to CD8+ T cells, making BATF3 a critical regulator of the anti-tumor immune response (PubMed: 29902437). In the tumor microenvironment, the presence of BATF3-dependent cDC1s is strongly associated with the recruitment of effector T cells and the overall success of cancer immunotherapies, such as checkpoint inhibitors (PubMed: 25501903). While no direct small-molecule inhibitors or agonists are currently approved for clinical use, BATF3 is a major focus of research in "cold" tumors that lack immune infiltration. Therapeutic strategies under investigation include the use of BATF3-encoding mRNA or viral vectors to reprogram the immune landscape and enhance vaccine efficacy (PubMed: 33053376). Beyond oncology, BATF3 is involved in the response to intracellular pathogens and the regulation of Th17 cell differentiation, suggesting broader applications in infectious and autoimmune diseases (NCBI Gene: 55509).

Other names

BATF3SNFTJDP1Jun dimerization protein 1B-ATF3Basic leucine zipper transcriptional transcription factor ATF-like 3

Transcriptional regulation of the cDC1 dendritic cell lineage, facilitating the cross-presentation of exogenous antigens to CD8+ T cells and promoting Th1 cell-mediated immunity.