CTLA-4 blockade drives loss of T(reg) stability in glycolysis-low tumours Journal Article


Authors: Zappasodi, R.; Serganova, I.; Cohen, I. J.; Maeda, M.; Shindo, M.; Senbabaoglu, Y.; Watson, M. J.; Leftin, A.; Maniyar, R.; Verma, S.; Lubin, M.; Ko, M.; Mane, M. M.; Zhong, H.; Liu, C.; Ghosh, A.; Abu-Akeel, M.; Ackerstaff, E.; Koutcher, J. A.; Ho, P. C.; Delgoffe, G. M.; Blasberg, R.; Wolchok, J. D.; Merghoub, T.
Article Title: CTLA-4 blockade drives loss of T(reg) stability in glycolysis-low tumours
Abstract: Limiting metabolic competition in the tumour microenvironment may increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Owing to its crucial role in the glucose metabolism of activated T cells, CD28 signalling has been proposed as a metabolic biosensor of T cells1. By contrast, the engagement of CTLA-4 has been shown to downregulate T cell glycolysis1. Here we investigate the effect of CTLA-4 blockade on the metabolic fitness of intra-tumour T cells in relation to the glycolytic capacity of tumour cells. We found that CTLA-4 blockade promotes metabolic fitness and the infiltration of immune cells, especially in glycolysis-low tumours. Accordingly, treatment with anti-CTLA-4 antibodies improved the therapeutic outcomes of mice bearing glycolysis-defective tumours. Notably, tumour-specific CD8+ T cell responses correlated with phenotypic and functional destabilization of tumour-infiltrating regulatory T (Treg) cells towards IFNγ- and TNF-producing cells in glycolysis-defective tumours. By mimicking the highly and poorly glycolytic tumour microenvironments in vitro, we show that the effect of CTLA-4 blockade on the destabilization of Treg cells is dependent on Treg cell glycolysis and CD28 signalling. These findings indicate that decreasing tumour competition for glucose may facilitate the therapeutic activity of CTLA-4 blockade, thus supporting its combination with inhibitors of tumour glycolysis. Moreover, these results reveal a mechanism by which anti-CTLA-4 treatment interferes with Treg cell function in the presence of glucose. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.
Keywords: metabolism; glucose; fitness; tumor; cell; infiltration
Journal Title: Nature
Volume: 591
Issue: 7851
ISSN: 0028-0836
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group  
Date Published: 2021-03-25
Start Page: 652
End Page: 658
Language: English
DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03326-4
PUBMED: 33588426
PROVIDER: scopus
PMCID: PMC8057670
DOI/URL:
Notes: Article -- Export Date: 1 April 2021 -- Source: Scopus
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MSK Authors
  1. Ronald G Blasberg
    272 Blasberg
  2. Jedd D Wolchok
    905 Wolchok
  3. Taha Merghoub
    364 Merghoub
  4. Jason A Koutcher
    278 Koutcher
  5. Arnab Ghosh
    64 Ghosh
  6. Cailian Liu
    60 Liu
  7. Hong Zhong
    35 Zhong
  8. Masahiro   Shindo
    11 Shindo
  9. Ivan Jose Cohen
    16 Cohen
  10. Avigdor   Leftin
    12 Leftin
  11. Mayuresh M Mane
    11 Mane
  12. Masatomo Maeda
    11 Maeda
  13. Myat Kyaw Ko
    10 Ko
  14. Rachana Rajiv Maniyar
    10 Maniyar
  15. Svena Verma
    13 Verma
  16. Matthew Lubin
    3 Lubin