Pericyte phenotype switching alleviates immunosuppression and sensitizes vascularized tumors to immunotherapy in preclinical models
T cell-based immunotherapies are a promising therapeutic approach for multiple malignancies, but their efficacy is limited by tumor hypoxia arising from dysfunctional blood vessels. Here, we report that cell-intrinsic properties of a single vascular component, namely the pericyte, contribute to the control of tumor oxygenation, macrophage polarization, vessel inflammation, and T cell infiltration. Switching pericyte phenotype from a synthetic to a differentiated state reverses immune suppression and sensitizes tumors to adoptive T cell therapy, leading to regression of melanoma in mice. In melanoma patients, improved survival is correlated with enhanced pericyte maturity. Importantly, pericyte plasticity is regulated by signaling pathways converging on Rho kinase activity, with pericyte maturity being inducible by selective low-dose therapeutics that suppress pericyte MEK, AKT, or notch signaling. We also show that low-dose targeted anticancer therapy can durably change the tumor microenvironment without inducing adaptive resistance, creating a highly translatable pathway for redosing anticancer targeted therapies in combination with immunotherapy to improve outcome.
Authors
- Anna Johansson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9607-0000)
- Abate Assefa Bashaw (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6575-5402)
- Elena Denisenko (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6358-526X)
- Edward Bastow
- Suraj Sakaram (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1841-1898)
- Günter J. Hämmerling
- Devina D. Lakhiani (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9881-383X)
- Alistair R. R. Forrest (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4543-1675)
- Ruth Ganß (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5551-045X)
- Jonas A. Nilsson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0346-6837)
- Jiulia Satiaputra
- Lisa M. Nilsson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5222-7210)
- Alice Domenichini
- Ji Li (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1481-4289)
- Gabriel Lee (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2447-5308)
- Bo He (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0818-9448)
- Rafael Carretero (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5988-829X)
- Kira H Wood
- Zhi-Jie Li
Institutions
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research (AU)
- Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Clinical Investigation
- Published
- 2024-09-16
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1172/jci179860
- Citations
- 14
- Primary Topic
- Immune cells in cancer
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 3.37
Funders
- Cancer Australia
- Worldwide Cancer Research
- National Health and Medical Research Council
- Cancer Council Western Australia