Project description:RIG-I is a pattern recognition receptor involved in innate immunity, but its role in adaptive immunity remains unclear. Here, we demonstrate that RIG-I is upregulated in tumor infiltrating CD8+ T cells, where it functions as an intracellular checkpoint to negatively regulate CD8+ T cell function and limit antitumor immunity. Mechanically, up-regulation of RIG-I in CD8+ T cells is induced by retinoic acid (RA), a metabolite of vitamin A in TME, and direct inhibits the AKT/glycolysis signaling pathway. In addition, deletion of RIG-I enhances the efficacy of adoptively transferred T cells against solid tumors and inhibition of RIG-I enhances the response to PD-1 blockade. Our findings identify RIG-I as an intracellular checkpoint and a potential target for alleviating inhibitory constraints on T cells in cancer immunotherapy, either alone or in combination with immune checkpoint blockade.
Project description:Exercise improves immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) efficacy in cancers like melanoma, however, the mechanisms through which exercise mediates this antitumor effect remain obscure. Here we identify the gut microbiota as playing a previously unrecognized, critical role in how exercise improves ICI efficacy in preclinical melanoma. Our study demonstrates that exercise stimulates microbial one-carbon metabolism, increasing levels of the metabolite formate, which subsequently enhances Tc1-mediated ICI efficacy. We further establish that microbiota-derived formate is both sufficient and required to enhance Tc1 cell fate in vitro and promote tumor antigen-specific Tc1 immunity in vivo. Mechanistically, we identified the transcription factor nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) as a crucial mediator of formate-driven Tc1 function enhancement in vitro and a key player in the exercise-mediated antitumor effect in vivo. Finally, we identify human microbiota-derived formate as a potential biomarker of enhanced Tc1-mediated antitumor immunity and support its functional role in driving melanoma suppression.
Project description:In this project, we transfected MC38 cells with Flag-tagged Mbtps1 or vector control. After that, we performed immunoprecipitation–mass spectrometry analysis to search the interacting proteins of MBTPS1. In our study, We observed that the loss of membrane-bound transcription factor site-1 protease (MBTPS1) in tumor cells enhanced antitumor immunity and potentiated anti-PD-1 therapy. Mechanistic studies revealed that tumor cell-intrinsic MBTPS1 competed with USP13 for binding to STAT1, thereby disrupting USP13-dependent deubiquitination and stabilization of STAT1. MBTPS1 deficiency induced CXCR3+ CD8+ T cell infiltration by upregulating STAT1-transcribed chemokines including CXCL9, CXCL10 and CXCL11. Notably, the regulatory role of MBTPS1 in antitumor immunity operates independently of its classic function in cleaving membrane-bound transcription factors. Collectively, our results provide a theoretical basis for MBTPS1 as a potential immunotherapy target and also as a predictor of immunotherapy efficacy.
Project description:Analysis of the effect of cyclophosphamide on peripheral blood leukocyte gene expression. Certain chemotherapeutic drugs such as cyclophosphamide can enhance the antitumor efficacy of immunotherapy because of their capacity to modulate innate and adaptive immunity. Indeed, it has been argued that this capacity may be more significant to chemotherapeutic efficacy in general than is presently appreciated. To gain insights into the core mechanisms of chemoimmunotherapy, we methodically profiled the effects of cyclophosphamide on gene expression in bone marrow, spleen and peripheral blood, and on cytokine expression in plasma and bone marrow of tumor-bearing mice. Gene and protein expression were modulated early and transiently by cyclophosphamide, leading to upregulation of a variety of immunomodulatory factors, including danger signals, pattern recognition receptors, inflammatory mediators, growth factors, cytokines, chemokines and chemokine receptors. These factors are involved in sensing cyclophosphamide myelotoxicity and activating repair mechanisms, which, in turn, stimulate immunoactivation events that promote efficacy. In particular, cyclophosphamide induced a T helper 17 (Th17)-related gene signature associated with an increase in Th17, Th1 and activated CD25+CD4+Foxp3- T lymphocytes and a slight recovery of regulatory T-cells. By analyzing gene and protein expression kinetics and their relationship to the antitumor efficacy of different therapeutic schedules of combination, we determined that optimal timing for performing adoptive immunotherapy is approximately 1 day after cyclophosphamide treatment. Together, our findings highlight factors that may propel the efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy, offering a mechanistic glimpse of the important immune modulatory effects of cyclophosphamide Four-condition experiment, Untreated mice - Cyclophosphamide-treated mice 1 day - Cyclophosphamide-treated mice 2 days - Cyclophosphamide-treated mice 5 days. Biological replicates: 4, controls: 4, independently harvested. Two replicates per array.
Project description:Analysis the effect of cyclophosphamide on splenocytes gene expression. Certain chemotherapeutic drugs such as cyclophosphamide can enhance the antitumor efficacy of immunotherapy because of their capacity to modulate innate and adaptive immunity. Indeed, it has been argued that this capacity may be more significant to chemotherapeutic efficacy in general than is presently appreciated. To gain insights into the core mechanisms of chemoimmunotherapy, we methodically profiled the effects of cyclophosphamide on gene expression in bone marrow, spleen and peripheral blood, and on cytokine expression in plasma and bone marrow of tumor-bearing mice. Gene and protein expression were modulated early and transiently by cyclophosphamide, leading to upregulation of a variety of immunomodulatory factors, including danger signals, pattern recognition receptors, inflammatory mediators, growth factors, cytokines, chemokines and chemokine receptors. These factors are involved in sensing cyclophosphamide myelotoxicity and activating repair mechanisms, which, in turn, stimulate immunoactivation events that promote efficacy. In particular, cyclophosphamide induced a T helper 17 (Th17)-related gene signature associated with an increase in Th17, Th1 and activated CD25+CD4+Foxp3- T lymphocytes and a slight recovery of regulatory T-cells. By analyzing gene and protein expression kinetics and their relationship to the antitumor efficacy of different therapeutic schedules of combination, we determined that optimal timing for performing adoptive immunotherapy is approximately 1 day after cyclophosphamide treatment. Together, our findings highlight factors that may propel the efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy, offering a mechanistic glimpse of the important immune modulatory effects of cyclophosphamide Four-condition experiment, Untreated mice - Cyclophosphamide-treated mice 1 day - Cyclophosphamide-treated mice 2 days - Cyclophosphamide-treated mice 5 days. Biological replicates: 5, controls: 5, independently harvested. Two replicates per array.
Project description:Analysis the effect of cyclophosphamide on bone marrow gene expression. Certain chemotherapeutic drugs such as cyclophosphamide can enhance the antitumor efficacy of immunotherapy because of their capacity to modulate innate and adaptive immunity. Indeed, it has been argued that this capacity may be more significant to chemotherapeutic efficacy in general than is presently appreciated. To gain insights into the core mechanisms of chemoimmunotherapy, we methodically profiled the effects of cyclophosphamide on gene expression in bone marrow, spleen and peripheral blood, and on cytokine expression in plasma and bone marrow of tumor-bearing mice. Gene and protein expression were modulated early and transiently by cyclophosphamide, leading to upregulation of a variety of immunomodulatory factors, including danger signals, pattern recognition receptors, inflammatory mediators, growth factors, cytokines, chemokines and chemokine receptors. These factors are involved in sensing cyclophosphamide myelotoxicity and activating repair mechanisms, which, in turn, stimulate immunoactivation events that promote efficacy. In particular, cyclophosphamide induced a T helper 17 (Th17)-related gene signature associated with an increase in Th17, Th1 and activated CD25+CD4+Foxp3- T lymphocytes and a slight recovery of regulatory T-cells. By analyzing gene and protein expression kinetics and their relationship to the antitumor efficacy of different therapeutic schedules of combination, we determined that optimal timing for performing adoptive immunotherapy is approximately 1 day after cyclophosphamide treatment. Together, our findings highlight factors that may propel the efficacy of chemoimmunotherapy, offering a mechanistic glimpse of the important immune modulatory effects of cyclophosphamide Four-condition experiment, Untreated mice - Cyclophosphamide-treated mice 1 day - Cyclophosphamide-treated mice 2 days - Cyclophosphamide-treated mice 5 days. Biological replicates: 5, controls: 5, independently harvested. Two replicates per array.
Project description:Physical activity reduces cancer-associated mortality through multiple mechanisms, including tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) reprogramming. However, whether and how physiological interventions promote anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy remains elusive. Here we report that clinically relevant voluntary exercise promotes muscle-derived exosomal miR-29a-3p for extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in patients and mouse models with multiple types of cancer, thereby permitting immune cell infiltration and immunotherapy. Mechanistically, an unbiased screening identified exercise-responsive exosomal miR-29a-3p that targets tumor cell and cancer associated fibroblasts to downregulate COL1A1 and reduce ECM. State-of-the-art techniques including cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF) demonstrated miR-29a-3p-induced TIME remodeling and immune cell infiltration. Combining immunotherapy with voluntary exercise or miR-29a-3p further increased the anti-tumor efficacy in preclinical models. Clinically, miR-29a-3p was correlated with degraded ECM and T-cell infiltration in various cancer types in patients, and correlated with immunotherapy responders. Our work reveals the novel predictive value of miR-29a-3p for immunotherapy, provides mechanistic insights into exercise-promoted anti-cancer immunity, and highlights the therapeutic potential of voluntary exercise in immunotherapy.
Project description:Physical activity reduces cancer-associated mortality through multiple mechanisms, including tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) reprogramming. However, whether and how physiological interventions promote anti-tumor immunity and immunotherapy remains elusive. Here we report that clinically relevant voluntary exercise promotes muscle-derived exosomal miR-29a-3p for extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation in patients and mouse models with multiple types of cancer, thereby permitting immune cell infiltration and immunotherapy. Mechanistically, an unbiased screening identified exercise-responsive exosomal miR-29a-3p that targets tumor cell and cancer associated fibroblasts to downregulate COL1A1 and reduce ECM. State-of-the-art techniques including cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF) demonstrated miR-29a-3p-induced TIME remodeling and immune cell infiltration. Combining immunotherapy with voluntary exercise or miR-29a-3p further increased the anti-tumor efficacy in preclinical models. Clinically, miR-29a-3p was correlated with degraded ECM and T-cell infiltration in various cancer types in patients, and correlated with immunotherapy responders. Our work reveals the novel predictive value of miR-29a-3p for immunotherapy, provides mechanistic insights into exercise-promoted anti-cancer immunity, and highlights the therapeutic potential of voluntary exercise in immunotherapy.
Project description:Tumor cells often employ many ways to restrain type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling to evade immune surveillance. However, whether cellular amino acid metabolism regulate this process remains unclear and its effects on antitumor immunity are relatively unexplored. Here, our study reports that asparagine generated by asparagine synthetase (ASNS) inhibits IFN-I signaling and promotes immune escape in bladder cancer. We further show that depletion of ASNS strongly limits in vivo tumor growth in a CD8+ T cell-dependent manner, thus boosting the immunotherapy efficacy. Moreover, clinically approved ASNase synergizes with anti-PD-1 therapy in suppressing tumor growth in mouse models of bladder cancer. Mechanistically, asparagine intensifies the interaction of E3 ligase CBL and RIG-I, promoting K48-linked polyubiquitination and degradation of RIG-I, thus suppressing RIG-I mediated IFN signaling and anti-tumor immune response. Clinically, ASNS is overexpressed in muscle-invasive bladder cancer and correlated with poor response of immunotherapy. Together, our findings uncover asparagine as a natural metabolite to modulate RIG-I-mediated IFN-I signaling, providing the basis for developing the combinatorial use of ASNase and anti-PD-1 for bladder cancer.