1. LTBR acts as a novel immune checkpoint of tumor‐associated macrophages for cancer immunotherapy.
- Author
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Wang, Liang, Fan, Jieyi, Wu, Sifan, Cheng, Shilin, Zhao, Junlong, Fan, Fan, Gao, Chunchen, Qiao, Rong, Sheng, Qiqi, Hu, Yiyang, Zhang, Yong, Liu, Pengjun, Jiao, Zhe, Wei, Tiaoxia, Lei, Jie, Chen, Yan, and Qin, Hongyan
- Subjects
MYELOID-derived suppressor cells ,NF-kappa B ,SUPPRESSOR cells ,CYTOTOXIC T cells ,IMMUNE checkpoint proteins - Abstract
Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) greatly contribute to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) resistance of cancer. However, its underlying mechanisms and whether TAMs can be promising targets to overcome ICI resistance remain to be unveiled. Through integrative analysis of immune multiomics data and single‐cell RNA‐seq data (iMOS) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), lymphotoxin β receptor (LTBR) is identified as a potential immune checkpoint of TAMs, whose high expression, duplication, and low methylation are correlated with unfavorable prognosis. Immunofluorescence staining shows that the infiltration of LTBR+ TAMs is associated with LUAD stages, immunotherapy failure, and poor prognosis. Mechanistically, LTΒR maintains immunosuppressive activity and M2 phenotype of TAMs by noncanonical nuclear factor kappa B and Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathways. Macrophage‐specific knockout of LTBR hinders tumor growth and prolongs survival time via blocking TAM immunosuppressive activity and M2 phenotype. Moreover, TAM‐targeted delivery of LTΒR small interfering RNA improves the therapeutic effect of ICI via reversing TAM‐mediated immunosuppression, such as boosting cytotoxic CD8+ T cells and inhibiting granulocytic myeloid‐derived suppressor cells infiltration. Taken together, we bring forth an immune checkpoint discovery pipeline iMOS, identify LTBR as a novel immune checkpoint of TAMs, and propose a new immunotherapy strategy by targeting LTBR+ TAMs. Highlights: Integrative analysis of immune multiomics data and single‐cell RNA‐seq data pipeline is developed and finds lymphotoxin β receptor (LTBR) expression specific in tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs).LTΒR+ TAMs correlate with lung adenocarcinoma stages, immunotherapy resistance, and prognosis.LTΒR maintains TAM immunosuppressive activity and M2 phenotype by noncanonical nuclear factor kappa B signaling and Wnt/β‐catenin signaling.Disruption of LTΒR in TAMs enhances the therapeutic effect of cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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