Abstract A052: Silencing MICAL2 Expression in Pancreatic Cancer Cells rewires the tumor microenvironment through the IL1-a/p38 MAP kinase/STAT-3 axis and Sensitizes Tumors to Immune Checkpoint Blockade therapy

Abstract Introduction: PDAC is marked by a fibroinflammatory stroma and thrives on interactions between cancer cells and their microenvironment, including CAFs and immune cells, driving disease progression and treatment resistance. Using ChIP-seq on resected human PDAC samples, we identified MICAL2 as a super-enhancer-associated gene and its role in tumor progression. MICAL2 is a flavin monooxygenase that promotes actin depolymerization and SRF transcription. Here, we evaluated how tumor cell-expressed MICAL2 rewires the PDAC microenvironment through the IL1-a/p38 MAP kinase/STAT3 axis. Methods: KPC-Shcontrol (ShCNT) and MICAL2 (M2KD) were orthotopically injected to assess tumor growth. Sc-RNA seq, immunophenotyping, and immunohistochemistry were performed on ShCNT and M2KD tumors. Atomic force microscopy was done to assess tissue stiffness. CD8+ specific antibodies were used for T-cell depletion. Adoptive transfer of CD8+ T cells enriched from M2KD tumors was performed by tail vein injection. Anti-PD1 and anti-IL-1a antibodies were injected IP. RNA-Seq analysis was performed on human PDAC cells (AsPC-1 ShCNT and M2KD) and validation of IL-1α and IL-1R expression was done in human and mouse pancreas control, KD, OE cancer cell lines, and PSCs by q-PCR. We exposed PSCs to conditioned media from cancer cells with and without MICAL2 and checked the expression of genes related to inflammation and fibrosis by qPCR. Results: Orthotopic injections of KPC-M2KD cells led to decreased tumor growth compared to ShCNT (0.26 gm vs. 1 gm, p = 0.008). Sc-RNA and immunohistochemistry revealed reduced PDPN+ and a-SMA+ CAFs in M2KD tumors. We also observed less collagen and fibronectin deposition in M2KD tumors resulting in reduced tissue stiffness as measured by atomic force microscopy. Flow cytometry and immunofluorescence showed increased intertumoral infiltration of cytotoxic and effector CD8+T cells in M2KD tumors. CD8+T cell depletion reversed growth inhibition in M2KD tumors. Adoptive transfer of CD8+T cells enriched from M2KD tumors impeded control tumor growth. RNA-seq revealed decreased IL1-α expression in M2KD cells (p<0.05). IL1R expression was reduced on PSCs when cocultured with M2KD vs. control cell media. PSCs co-cultured with M2KD cancer cells also showed significant downregulation of genes including IL-6, Cxcl1, and LIF changes that were rescued by adding recombinant IL-1α in M2KD cells. Western blot showed MICAL2 regulates the phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase which in turn regulates the expression of IL1-α and STAT3 activation confirmed by treating dox-inducible ShCNT and ShM2KD cancer cells with p38 inhibitor. Treating M2KD tumors with immune checkpoint blockade PD-1 alone significantly reduced tumor size and 50% of M2KD tumor-bearing mice had complete tumor regression after treatment with PD-1 and neutralizing IL-1a antibodies. Conclusion: MICAL2 mediates tumor-stromal crosstalk through the IL1-a/p38/STAT3 axis and creates an immunosuppressive environment in PDAC. MICAL2 may be a potential immunomodulatory target for pancreatic cancer therapy. Citation Format: Bharti Garg, Evangeline Mose, Edgar Esparaza, Jay Patel, Rithika Medari, Alexei Martsinkovskiy, Carrie Bishop, Gissele Gonzalez, Adam Engler, Parag Katira, Herve Tiriac, Andrew M Lowy. Silencing MICAL2 Expression in Pancreatic Cancer Cells rewires the tumor microenvironment through the IL1-a/p38 MAP kinase/STAT-3 axis and Sensitizes Tumors to Immune Checkpoint Blockade therapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research; 2024 Sep 15-18; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(17 Suppl_2):Abstract nr A052.