CD36-mediated metabolic adaptation supports regulatory T cell survival and function in tumors.

TitleCD36-mediated metabolic adaptation supports regulatory T cell survival and function in tumors.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2020
AuthorsWang H, Franco F, Tsui Y-C, Xie X, Trefny MP, Zappasodi R, Mohmood SRaza, Fernández-García J, Tsai C-H, Schulze I, Picard F, Meylan E, Silverstein R, Goldberg I, Fendt S-M, Wolchok JD, Merghoub T, Jandus C, Zippelius A, Ho P-C
JournalNat Immunol
Volume21
Issue3
Pagination298-308
Date Published2020 Mar
ISSN1529-2916
KeywordsAnimals, Apoptosis, CD36 Antigens, Cell Line, Tumor, Female, Homeostasis, Humans, Immunotherapy, Lipid Metabolism, Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating, Male, Mice, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Mice, Knockout, Neoplasms, PPAR-beta, Signal Transduction, T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory, Tumor Microenvironment
Abstract

Depleting regulatory T cells (Treg cells) to counteract immunosuppressive features of the tumor microenvironment (TME) is an attractive strategy for cancer treatment; however, autoimmunity due to systemic impairment of their suppressive function limits its therapeutic potential. Elucidating approaches that specifically disrupt intratumoral Treg cells is direly needed for cancer immunotherapy. We found that CD36 was selectively upregulated in intrautumoral Treg cells as a central metabolic modulator. CD36 fine-tuned mitochondrial fitness via peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β signaling, programming Treg cells to adapt to a lactic acid-enriched TME. Genetic ablation of Cd36 in Treg cells suppressed tumor growth accompanied by a decrease in intratumoral Treg cells and enhancement of antitumor activity in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes without disrupting immune homeostasis. Furthermore, CD36 targeting elicited additive antitumor responses with anti-programmed cell death protein 1 therapy. Our findings uncover the unexplored metabolic adaptation that orchestrates the survival and functions of intratumoral Treg cells, and the therapeutic potential of targeting this pathway for reprogramming the TME.

DOI10.1038/s41590-019-0589-5
Alternate JournalNat Immunol
PubMed ID32066953
PubMed Central IDPMC7043937
Grant ListP01 HL087018 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
P01 HL046403 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL045095 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
P30 CA008748 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
R37 HL045095 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL070239 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 HL142152 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States
R01 CA056821 / CA / NCI NIH HHS / United States
163204 / SNSF_ / Swiss National Science Foundation / Switzerland
R01 HL073029 / HL / NHLBI NIH HHS / United States