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Weng J, Wang Z, Hu Z, Xu W, Sun JL, Wang F, Zhou Q, Liu S, Xu M, Xu M, Gao D, Shen YH, Yi Y, Shi Y, Dong Q, Zhou C, Ren N. Repolarization of Immunosuppressive Macrophages by Targeting SLAMF7-Regulated CCL2 Signaling Sensitizes Hepatocellular Carcinoma to Immunotherapy. Cancer Res 2024; 84:1817-1833. [PMID: 38484085 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-3106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors have limited efficacy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Macrophages are the most abundant immune cells in HCC, suggesting that a better understanding of the intrinsic processes by which tumor cells regulate macrophages could help identify strategies to improve response to immunotherapy. As signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) family members regulate various immune functions, we investigated the role of specific SLAM receptors in the immunobiology of HCC. Comparison of the transcriptomic landscapes of immunotherapy-responsive and nonresponsive patients with advanced HCC identified SLAMF7 upregulation in immunotherapy-responsive HCC, and patients with HCC who responded to immunotherapy also displayed higher serum levels of SLAMF7. Loss of Slamf7 in liver-specific knockout mice led to increased hepatocarcinogenesis and metastasis, elevated immunosuppressive macrophage infiltration, and upregulated PD-1 expression in CD8+ T cells. HCC cell-intrinsic SLAMF7 suppressed MAPK/ATF2-mediated CCL2 expression to regulate macrophage migration and polarization in vitro. Mechanistically, SLAMF7 associated with SH2 domain-containing adaptor protein B (SHB) through its cytoplasmic 304 tyrosine site to facilitate the recruitment of SHIP1 to SLAMF7 and inhibit the ubiquitination of TRAF6, thereby attenuating MAPK pathway activation and CCL2 transcription. Pharmacological antagonism of the CCL2/CCR2 axis potentiated the therapeutic effect of anti-PD-1 antibody in orthotopic HCC mouse models with low SLAMF7 expression. In conclusion, this study highlights SLAMF7 as a regulator of macrophage function and a potential predictive biomarker of immunotherapy response in HCC. Strategies targeting CCL2 signaling to induce macrophage repolarization in HCC with low SLAMF7 might enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy. SIGNIFICANCE CCL2 upregulation caused by SLAMF7 deficiency in hepatocellular carcinoma cells induces immunosuppressive macrophage polarization and confers resistance to immune checkpoint blockade, providing potential biomarkers and targets to improve immunotherapy response in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jialei Weng
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Zheng Wang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P.R. China
| | - Zhiqiu Hu
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Wenxin Xu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Jia-Lei Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Fu Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Qiang Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Shaoqing Liu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Min Xu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Minghao Xu
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Dongmei Gao
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Ying-Hao Shen
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yong Yi
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Yi Shi
- Biomedical Research Centre, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Qiongzhu Dong
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Chenhao Zhou
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai, P.R. China
| | - Ning Ren
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, Ministry of Education, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Whole-Period Monitoring and Precise Intervention of Digestive Cancer of Shanghai Municipal Health Commission, Shanghai, P.R. China
- Institute of Fudan-Minhang Academic Health System, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, P.R. China
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Choi SC, Morel L. B cell contribution of the CD4 + T cell inflammatory phenotypes in systemic lupus erythematosus. Autoimmunity 2017; 50:37-41. [PMID: 28166683 DOI: 10.1080/08916934.2017.1280028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Systemic lupus erythematosus is an autoimmune disease in which the effector molecules responsible for tissue damage are antibodies directed against a large number of self-antigens, among which nucleic acids complexed with proteins play a prominent role. These pathogenic autoantibodies are produced by plasma cells differentiated from activated autoreactive B cells, a process that requires complex interactions between multiple components of the immune systems. A key step in the activation of autoreactive B cells is provided by CD4+ T cells through cytokines and cell-to-cell contact. Lupus CD4+ T cells are autoreactive and they present an activated inflammatory phenotype that has been shown to contribute to disease. In addition to their role in antibody production, B cells have other effector functions, the most important ones being antigen presentation to and co-stimulation of CD4+ T cells, as well as the secretion of cytokines. Here, we review what is known, largely based on mouse models, how these B cell effector functions contribute to the CD4+ T cell inflammatory phenotypes in lupus. When possible, we compare CD4+ T cell activation by B cells and by dendritic cells, and speculate how these interactions may contribute to the disease process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Chul Choi
- a Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine , University of Florida , Gainesville , FL , USA
| | - Laurence Morel
- a Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine , University of Florida , Gainesville , FL , USA
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Chang NH, Manion KP, Loh C, Pau E, Baglaenko Y, Wither JE. Multiple tolerance defects contribute to the breach of B cell tolerance in New Zealand Black chromosome 1 congenic mice. PLoS One 2017. [PMID: 28628673 PMCID: PMC5476272 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lupus is characterized by a loss of B cell tolerance leading to autoantibody production. In this study, we explored the mechanisms underlying this loss of tolerance using B6 congenic mice with an interval from New Zealand Black chromosome 1 (denoted c1(96–100)) sufficient for anti-nuclear antibody production. Transgenes for soluble hen egg white lysozyme (sHEL) and anti-HEL immunoglobulin were crossed onto this background and various tolerance mechanisms examined. We found that c1(96–100) mice produced increased levels of IgM and IgG anti-HEL antibodies compared to B6 mice and had higher proportions of germinal center B cells and long-lived plasma cells, suggesting a germinal center-dependent breach of B cell anergy. Consistent with impaired anergy induction, c1(96–100) double transgenic B cells showed enhanced survival and CD86 upregulation. Hematopoietic chimeric sHEL mice with a mixture of B6 and c1(96–100) HEL transgenic B cells recapitulated these results, suggesting the presence of a B cell autonomous defect. Surprisingly, however, there was equivalent recruitment of B6 and c1(96–100) B cells into germinal centers and differentiation to splenic plasmablasts in these mice. In contrast, there were increased proportions of c1(96–100) T follicular helper cells and long-lived plasma cells as compared to their B6 counterparts, suggesting that both B and T cell defects are required to breach germinal center tolerance in this model. This possibility was further supported by experiments showing an enhanced breach of anergy in double transgenic mice with a longer chromosome 1 interval with additional T cell defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nan-Hua Chang
- Arthritis Centre of Excellence, Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kieran P. Manion
- Arthritis Centre of Excellence, Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Christina Loh
- Arthritis Centre of Excellence, Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Evelyn Pau
- Arthritis Centre of Excellence, Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yuriy Baglaenko
- Arthritis Centre of Excellence, Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joan E. Wither
- Arthritis Centre of Excellence, Division of Genetics and Development, Krembil Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Immunology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Division of Rheumatology, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
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