Inhibition of DNMTs increases neoantigen-reactive T-cell toxicity against microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer in combination with radiotherapy - 23/07/24
Abstract |
The therapeutic efficacy of immunotherapy is limited in the majority of colorectal cancer patients due to the low mutational and neoantigen burdens in this immunogenically “cold” microsatellite stability-colorectal cancer (MSS-CRC) cohort. Here, we showed that DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibition upregulated neoantigen-bearing gene expression in MSS-CRC, resulting in increased neoantigen presentation by MHC class I in tumor cells and leading to increased neoantigen-specific T-cell activation in combination with radiotherapy. The cytotoxicity of neoantigen-reactive T cells (NRTs) to DNMTi-treated cancer cells was highly cytotoxic, and these cells secreted high IFNγ levels targeting MSS-CRC cells after ex vivo expansion of NRTs with DNMTi-treated tumor antigens. Moreover, the therapeutic efficacy of NRTs further increased when NRTs were combined with radiotherapy in vivo. Administration of DNMTi-augmented NRTs and radiotherapy achieved an ∼50 % complete response and extended survival time in an immunocompetent MSS-CRC animal model. Moreover, remarkably, splenocytes from these mice exhibited neoantigen-specific T-cell responses, indicating that radiotherapy in combination with DNMTi-augmented NRTs prolonged and increased neoantigen-specific T-cell toxicity in MSS-CRC patients. In addition, these DNMTi-augmented NRTs markedly increase the therapeutic efficacy of cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). These data suggest that a combination of radiotherapy and epi-immunotherapeutic agents improves the function of ex vivo-expanded neoantigen-reactive T cells and increases the tumor-specific cytotoxic effector population to enhance therapeutic efficacy in MSS-CRC.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Graphical Abstract |
Highlights |
• | Demethylation agents upregulate neoantigen-bearing genes to increase cancer immunogenicity for antitumor immunity. |
• | Combination of radiotherapy and demethylation agents improves the cytotoxicity of neoantigen-reactive T cells against MSS-CRC. |
• | Neoantigen-reactive T cells and radiotherapy enhance the therapeutic efficacy of neoantigen-based cancer vaccines as well as immunotherapy. |
Keywords : MSS-CRC, Neoantigen-reactive T cells, Immune checkpoint inhibitor, DNMT1
Plan
Vol 177
Article 116958- août 2024 Retour au numéroBienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
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