Epstein-Barr virus-induced ectopic CD137 expression helps nasopharyngeal carcinoma to escape immune surveillance and enables targeting by chimeric antigen receptors.
Cancer Immunol Immunother
; 71(11): 2583-2596, 2022 Nov.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35299256
Non-keratinizing nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignancy with a poor prognosis for relapsing patients and those with metastatic disease. Here, we identify a novel disease mechanism of NPC which may be its Achilles' heel that makes it susceptible to immunotherapy. CD137 is a potent costimulatory receptor on activated T cells, and CD137 agonists strongly enhance anti-tumor immune responses. A negative feedback mechanism prevents overstimulation by transferring CD137 from T cells to CD137 ligand (CD137L)-expressing antigen presenting cells (APC) during cognate interaction, upon which the CD137-CD137L complex is internalized and degraded. We found ectopic expression of CD137 on 42 of 122 (34.4%) NPC cases, and that CD137 is induced by the Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein (LMP) 1. CD137 expression enables NPC to hijack the inbuilt negative feedback mechanism to downregulate the costimulatory CD137L on APC, facilitating its escape from immune surveillance. Further, the ectopically expressed CD137 signals into NPC cells via the p38-MAPK pathway, and induces the expression of IL-6, IL-8 and Laminin γ2. As much as ectopic CD137 expression may support the growth and spread of NPC, it may be a target for its immunotherapeutic elimination. Natural killer cells that express a CD137-specific chimeric antigen receptor induce death in CD137+ NPC cells, in vitro, and in vivo in a murine xenograft model. These data identify a novel immune escape mechanism of NPC, and lay the foundation for an urgently needed immunotherapeutic approach for NPC.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Neoplasias Nasofaríngeas
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Infecções por Vírus Epstein-Barr
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Receptores de Antígenos Quiméricos
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
/
Screening_studies
Limite:
Animals
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Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Cancer Immunol Immunother
Assunto da revista:
ALERGIA E IMUNOLOGIA
/
NEOPLASIAS
/
TERAPEUTICA
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Singapura