Interrupting the nitrosative stress fuels tumor-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes in pancreatic cancer. Issue 1 (12th January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: De Sanctis, Francesco; Lamolinara, Alessia; Boschi, Federico; Musiu, Chiara; Caligola, Simone; Trovato, Rosalinda; Fiore, Alessandra; Frusteri, Cristina; Anselmi, Cristina; Poffe, Ornella; Cestari, Tiziana; Canè, Stefania; Sartoris, Silvia; Giugno, Rosalba; Del Rosario, Giulia; Zappacosta, Barbara; Del Pizzo, Francesco; Fassan, Matteo; Dugnani, Erica; Piemonti, Lorenzo; Bottani, Emanuela; Decimo, Ilaria; Paiella, Salvatore; Salvia, Roberto; Lawlor, Rita Teresa; Corbo, Vincenzo; Park, Youngkyu; Tuveson, David A; Bassi, Claudio; Scarpa, Aldo; Iezzi, Manuela; Ugel, Stefano; Bronte, Vincenzo;
• Is Part Of: Journal for immunotherapy of cancer. Volume 10:Issue 1(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01-12
• Subjects: immunotherapy -- adoptive -- lymphocytes -- tumor-Infiltrating -- tumor microenvironment -- immunomodulation; Cancer -- Immunotherapy -- Periodicals; Cancer -- Immunological aspects -- Periodicals; Tumors -- Immunological aspects -- Periodicals; Immunotherapy -- Periodicals; 616.99406105
• DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2021-003549
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2051-1426

Abstract

Abstract : Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is one of the deadliest tumors owing to its robust desmoplasia, low immunogenicity, and recruitment of cancer-conditioned, immunoregulatory myeloid cells. These features strongly limit the success of immunotherapy as a single agent, thereby suggesting the need for the development of a multitargeted approach. The goal is to foster T lymphocyte infiltration within the tumor landscape and neutralize cancer-triggered immune suppression, to enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of immune-based treatments, such as anticancer adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Methods: We examined the contribution of immunosuppressive myeloid cells expressing arginase 1 and nitric oxide synthase 2 in building up a reactive nitrogen species (RNS)-dependent chemical barrier and shaping the PDAC immune landscape. We examined the impact of pharmacological RNS interference on overcoming the recruitment and immunosuppressive activity of tumor-expanded myeloid cells, which render pancreatic cancers resistant to immunotherapy. Results: PDAC progression is marked by a stepwise infiltration of myeloid cells, which enforces a highly immunosuppressive microenvironment through the uncontrolled metabolism of L-arginine by arginase 1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase activity, resulting in the production of large amounts of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. The extensive accumulation of myeloid suppressing cells and nitrated tyrosines (nitrotyrosine, N-Ty) establishes an RNS-dependent chemical barrier that impairs tumor infiltration by T lymphocytes and restricts the efficacy of adoptive immunotherapy. A pharmacological treatment with AT38 ([3-(aminocarbonyl)furoxan-4-yl]methyl salicylate) reprograms the tumor microenvironment from protumoral to antitumoral, which supports T lymphocyte entrance within the tumor core and aids the efficacy of ACT with telomerase-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Conclusions: Tumor microenvironment reprogramming by ablating aberrant RNS production bypasses the current limits of immunotherapy in PDAC by overcoming immune resistance.