Project description:TH2 and innate lymphoid cells 2 (ILC2) can stimulate tumor growth by secreting pro-tumorigenic cytokines such as IL4, IL5 and IL13. However, the mechanisms by which type 2 immune cells traffic to the tumor microenvironment (TME) are unknown. Here, in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), we show that oncogenic KrasG12D (Kras*) increases the expression of IL33 in cancer cells, which upon secretion recruits and activates the TH2 and ILC2. Correspondingly, cancer cell-specific deletion of IL33 reduces TH2 and ILC2 recruitment and promotes tumor regression. Unexpectedly, we discovered that the cellular release of IL33 into the TME is dependent on the intratumoral fungal mycobiome. Genetic deletion of IL33 or anti-fungal treatment decreases TH2 and ILC2 infiltration and increases survival. Consistent with these murine data, high IL33 expression is observed in approximately 20% of human PDAC, and expression is mainly restricted to cancer cells. These data expand our knowledge of the mechanisms driving PDAC tumor progression and identifies therapeutically targetable pathways involving intratumoral mycobiome-driven secretion of IL33.
Project description:We report the RNAseq of mouse pancreatic cancer cell lines with Kras ON vs Kras OFF. TH2 and innate lymphoid cells 2 (ILC2) can stimulate tumor growth by secreting pro-tumorigenic cytokines such as IL4, IL5 and IL13. However, the mechanisms by which type 2 immune cells traffic to the tumor microenvironment (TME) are unknown. Here, in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), we show that oncogenic KrasG12D (Kras*) increases the expression of IL33 in cancer cells, which upon secretion recruits and activates the TH2 and ILC2. Correspondingly, cancer cell-specific deletion of IL33 reduces TH2 and ILC2 recruitment and promotes tumor regression. Unexpectedly, we discovered that the cellular release of IL33 into the TME is dependent on the intratumoral fungal mycobiome. Genetic deletion of IL33 or anti-fungal treatment decreases TH2 and ILC2 infiltration and increases survival. Consistent with these murine data, high IL33 expression is observed in approximately 20% of human PDAC, and expression is mainly restricted to cancer cells. These data expand our knowledge of the mechanisms driving PDAC tumor progression and identifies therapeutically targetable pathways involving intratumoral mycobiome-driven secretion of IL33.
Project description:Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is required for the expression of pro-inflammatory genes that inhibit anti-tumour immunity. Here, we show a novel and crucial role for the dual-function cytokine IL33 in FAK-dependent immune evasion. Specifically, nuclear FAK is required for the expression of IL33, the chemokine Ccl5 and the soluble form of the IL33 receptor, sST2, which are required for evasion of CD8+ T-cell-mediated anti-tumour immunity. Mechanistically, nuclear IL33 associates with FAK and a network of chromatin modifiers and transcriptional regulators, including Taf9, WDR82 and BRD4, while sST2 likely negates effects of IL33 secreted into the tumour microenvironment by infiltrating host immune cells. Finally, protein interaction network analysis implies that nuclear FAK–IL33 complexes impact on transcription factors that regulate NFkB and chemokines like Ccl5 downstream. Our data therefore provide new mechanistic insight into how FAK controls the tumour immune environment via a FAK–IL33/sST2 pathway and demonstrate a novel role for nuclear IL33 downstream of FAK as a component of transcription regulatory complexes that critically modulate anti-tumour immunity.
Project description:The objective of this study was to understand the impact of autoimmune regulator (AIRE) on immunity against oral Candida albicans infection. Previous work indicated that autoantibodies against IL-17 and IL-22 may contribute to host susceptibility; however, there is not a 100% correlation between autoantibodies and mucosal candidiasis in autoimmune polyendocrinopathy candidiasis ectodermal dystrophy (APECED) patients, indicating that other pathways may be affected. Using a mouse model that very closely mimics what is seen in APECED patients, oral epithelial cells were sorted and RNA extracted from them to perform RNA-seq analysis to determine what other pathways may be involved. These data show that the type II interferon pathway is highly upregulated in Aire-deficient mice, while the IL-17R pathway is intact.
Project description:IL33 is an alarmin protein that is known to be released by epithelial cells as a response to damage. There is also evidence that dendritic cells express IL33, however its function in these cells is not well understood. To investigate the distinct function of IL33 in dendritic cells, deep sequencing of mRNA transcripts was conducted on FACS sorted DCs in mice lacking Il33 expression in CD11c expressing cells compared to control mice.