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Characterization of cancer-associated fibroblast populations that promote tertiary lymphoid structure formation in murine melanoma tumors

ABSTRACT: In recent years, the clinical relevance of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in cancer has become increasingly clear. However, the mechanisms that promote TLS development have remained obscure, largely because of a lack of animal models in which cause and effect studies can be performed. In this study, we used a mouse model in which TLS develop spontaneously in intraperitoneal tumors to address this issue. Extending earlier studies in which we showed that CXCR5-expressing B cells are essential for TLS development, we found that CXCL13, the ligand for CXCR5, is expressed exclusively by a population of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF), and that these CAF are essential to promote B cell accumulation in these tumors. In keeping with earlier work showing that the presence of TLS was associated with smaller tumor size, we also found that the lack of B cell accumulation was associated with larger tumor size. Using scRNA-seq, we identified 7 subpopulations of CAF in TLS containing tumors. While many of these subpopulations appear similar to those de ned in other human and murine tumor models, we also discriminate new immunologically relevant subpopulations of CAF. One of these CAF subpopulations was substantially enriched for CXCL13-expressing cells. This population was also enriched for additional genes that could promote B cell recruitment and enable regulation by a variety of cytokines. However, other genes that we have shown or hypothesize to be important in TLS development were enriched for expression in other CAF subpopulations. Overall, this work indicates that TLS development in this model depends on multiple CAF populations operating at distinct points in the developmental process.

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

PROVIDER: GSE338793 | GEO | 2026/07/20

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is considered an immunologically cold cancer type. This perception is due to its rapid progression, strong presence of immunosuppressive cells and lack of response to current immunotherapies. However, we and others have shown that many patient PDAC tumors contain robust lymphocyte infiltration, aggregated in the form of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS). The presence of TLS in PDAC is prognostic for long-term survival and in other cancer types, predictive of response to immunotherapy. Despite the clinical benefit to generating TLS in tumors, why they form in some PDAC patients but not others, remains unknown. The desmoplastic stroma in PDAC contributes to defective anti-tumor immunity largely due to myofibroblastic cancer associated fibroblasts (myCAF) induced by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF). Other groups have demonstrated that mesenchymal cell phenotypes with lymphoid tissue organizing properties regulate TLS formation in tumors. In order to restore effective anti-tumor immunity for PDAC patients, CAF phenotypes must be reprogrammed to support rather than restrict intratumoral immune activity. Using a lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTBR) agonist we observed induction of TLS-like aggregates in some murine PDAC tumor models, but not others. The CAF phenotypes of TLS-resistant models were predominantly myCAF while the TLS-permissive models were enriched for a VCAM1+ICAM1+ reticular-CAF (rCAF) subset. Induction of myCAF differentiation in vitro with TGF1 silenced LTBR/TNFR mediated upregulation of rCAF chemokine expression and attenuated B and T cell migration towards fibroblasts. Therapeutic TGFR1 inhibition ameliorated these effects thereby allowing LTBR agonism to repolarize rCAF phenotypic programming associated with improved lymphocyte recruitment and T cell-dependent tumor control. In patient PDAC tumors, rCAF resided next to TLS while myCAF were distally located. These data indicate that the myCAF-regulated PDAC stroma antagonizes acquisition of rCAF subsets critical for TLS formation but can be therapeutically remodeled to promote beneficial immune responses in immunosuppressive PDAC tumors.

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Characterization of cancer-associated fibroblast populations that promote tertiary lymphoid structure formation in murine melanoma tumors

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