GBP2 condensates promote ferroptosis to sensitize anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy in melanoma

The mechanisms underlying the limited response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) remain unclear. One explanation is that tumors escape cytotoxic T cell killing by disrupting interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) signaling. Here we show that guanylate-binding protein 2 (GBP2), an IFN-γ-inducible molecule, functions as a general amplifier of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity by promoting ferroptosis in melanoma. GBP2 enhances STAT1 activation and suppresses SLC7A11, thereby sensitizing tumor cells to ferroptotic death. Upon IFN-γ stimulation, GBP2 undergoes phase separation through an intrinsically disordered region, forming condensates that sequester SHP1 and sustain STAT1 activation. Disrupting GBP2 phase separation impairs ferroptosis, accelerates tumor growth, and weakens T cell-driven tumor control. GBP2 also increases HMGB1 release from ferroptotic cells, promoting cytotoxic T cell infiltration. These findings identify GBP2 as a key mediator linking IFN-γ signaling to ferroptosis and demonstrate that enhancing this pathway can improve tumor responsiveness to ICB immunotherapy.

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Publication Details

Journal
Nature Communications
Published
2025-12-24
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67690-9
Primary Topic
Ferroptosis and cancer prognosis
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
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article

GBP2 condensates promote ferroptosis to sensitize anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy in melanoma

Fang Wang, Yuntian Hong, Yilin Pang, Xiaoping Liu et al.
Nature Communications
Ferroptosis and cancer prognosis
article

GBP2 condensates promote ferroptosis to sensitize anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy in melanoma

Fang Wang, Yuntian Hong, Yilin Pang, Xiaoping Liu, Hao Wang, Lan Liu, Feiyang Xu, Jianchun Guo, Xianghai Ren, L. Gao, Shilin Fang, Yumei Ning, Meng Zhang, Haihang Nie, Qiu Zhao, Jun Fang, Xin Liu
article en

Abstract

The mechanisms underlying the limited response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) remain unclear. One explanation is that tumors escape cytotoxic T cell killing by disrupting interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) signaling. Here we show that guanylate-binding protein 2 (GBP2), an IFN-γ-inducible molecule, functions as a general amplifier of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity by promoting ferroptosis in melanoma. GBP2 enhances STAT1 activation and suppresses SLC7A11, thereby sensitizing tumor cells to ferroptotic death. Upon IFN-γ stimulation, GBP2 undergoes phase separation through an intrinsically disordered region, forming condensates that sequester SHP1 and sustain STAT1 activation. Disrupting GBP2 phase separation impairs ferroptosis, accelerates tumor growth, and weakens T cell-driven tumor control. GBP2 also increases HMGB1 release from ferroptotic cells, promoting cytotoxic T cell infiltration. These findings identify GBP2 as a key mediator linking IFN-γ signaling to ferroptosis and demonstrate that enhancing this pathway can improve tumor responsiveness to ICB immunotherapy.

Nature CommunicationsVol. 17(1)
Capital Medical University (CN), Peking University (CN), Wuhan University (CN), Wuhan College (CN), Hubei Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CN), Wuhan Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases (CN), Beijing Chest Hospital (CN), Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University (CN), Peking University Third Hospital (CN)
Openalex Percentile: Top 28%
Ferroptosis and cancer prognosis
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