Cirrhotic-extracellular matrix attenuates aPD-1 treatment response by initiating immunosuppressive neutrophil extracellular traps formation in hepatocellular carcinoma

© 2024. The Author(s)..

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is closely associatedwith chronic liver diseases, particularly liver cirrhosis, which has an altered extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. The influence and its mechanism of the cirrhotic-ECM on the response of HCC to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) remains less clarified.

METHODS: In silico, proteomic and pathological assessment of alteration of cirrhotic-ECM were applied in clinical cohort. Multiple pre-clinical models with ECM manipulation were used to evaluate cirrhotic-ECM's effect on ICI treatment. In silico, flow cytometry and IHC were applied to explore how cirrhotic-ECM affect HCC microenvironment. In vitro and in vivo experiments were carried out to identify the mechanism of how cirrhotic-ECM undermined ICI treatment.

RESULTS: We defined "a pro-tumor cirrhotic-ECM" which was featured as the up-regulation of collagen type 1 (Col1). Cirrhotic-ECM/Col1 was closely related to impaired T cell function and limited anti PD-1 (aPD-1) response of HCC patients from the TCGA pan cancer cohort and the authors' institution, as well as in multiple pre-clinical models. Mechanically, cirrhotic-ECM/Col1 orchestrated an immunosuppressive microenvironment (TME) by triggering Col1-DDR1-NFκB-CXCL8 axis, which initiated neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) formation to shield HCC cells from attacking T cells and impede approaching T cells. Nilotinib, an inhibitor of DDR1, reversed the neutrophils/NETs dominant TME and efficiently enhanced the response of HCC to aPD-1.

CONCLUSIONS: Cirrhotic-ECM modulated a NETs enriched TME in HCC, produced an immune suppressive TME and weakened ICI efficiency. Col1 receptor DDR1 could be a potential target synergically used with ICI to overcome ECM mediated ICI resistance. These provide a mechanical insight and novel strategy to overcome the ICI resistance of HCC.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:13

Enthalten in:

Experimental hematology & oncology - 13(2024), 1 vom: 22. Feb., Seite 20

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Shen, Xiao-Tian [VerfasserIn]
Xie, Sun-Zhe [VerfasserIn]
Zheng, Xin [VerfasserIn]
Zou, Tian-Tian [VerfasserIn]
Hu, Bei-Yuan [VerfasserIn]
Xu, Jing [VerfasserIn]
Liu, Lu [VerfasserIn]
Xu, Yun-Feng [VerfasserIn]
Wang, Xu-Feng [VerfasserIn]
Wang, Hao [VerfasserIn]
Wang, Shun [VerfasserIn]
Zhu, Le [VerfasserIn]
Yu, Kang-Kang [VerfasserIn]
Zhu, Wen-Wei [VerfasserIn]
Lu, Lu [VerfasserIn]
Zhang, Ju-Bo [VerfasserIn]
Chen, Jin-Hong [VerfasserIn]
Dong, Qiong-Zhu [VerfasserIn]
Yang, Lu-Yu [VerfasserIn]
Qin, Lun-Xiu [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Collagen type I (Col1)
Extracellular matrix (ECM)
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)
Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI)
Journal Article
Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs)

Anmerkungen:

Date Revised 24.02.2024

published: Electronic

Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE

doi:

10.1186/s40164-024-00476-9

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM368784517