Simon Wabitsch1, Justin D McCallen1, Olena Kamenyeva2, Benjamin Ruf1, John C McVey1, Juraj Kabat2, Juliane S Walz1, Yaron Rotman3, Kylynda C Bauer1, Amanda J Craig4, Marie Pouzolles5, Ira Phadke5, Vanessa Catania1, Benjamin L Green1, Claude Fu1, Laurence P Diggs1, Bernd Heinrich1, Xin Wei Wang6, Chi Ma1, Tim F Greten7. 1. Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. 2. Biological Imaging Section, Research Technology Branch, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, USA. 3. Liver and Energy Metabolism Section, Liver Diseases Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. 4. Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. 5. Basic to Translation Section, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. 6. Laboratory of Human Carcinogenesis, Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; NCI CCR Liver Cancer Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. 7. Gastrointestinal Malignancy Section, Thoracic and GI Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA; NCI CCR Liver Cancer Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA. Electronic address: Tim.greten@nih.gov.
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) represents the fastest growing underlying cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has been shown to impact immune effector cell function. The standard of care for the treatment of advanced HCC is immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, yet NASH may negatively affect the efficacy of ICI therapy in HCC. The immunologic mechanisms underlying the impact of NASH on ICI therapy remain unclear. METHODS: Herein, using multiple murine NASH models, we analysed the influence of NASH on the CD8+ T-cell-dependent anti-PD-1 responses against liver cancer. We characterised CD8+ T cells' transcriptomic, functional, and motility changes in mice receiving a normal diet (ND) or a NASH diet. RESULTS: NASH blunted the effect of anti-PD-1 therapy against liver cancers in multiple murine models. NASH caused a proinflammatory phenotypic change of hepatic CD8+ T cells. Transcriptomic analysis revealed changes related to NASH-dependent impairment of hepatic CD8+ T-cell metabolism. In vivo imaging analysis showed reduced motility of intratumoural CD8+ T cells. Metformin treatment rescued the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy against liver tumours in NASH. CONCLUSIONS: We discovered that CD8+ T-cell metabolism is critically altered in the context of NASH-related liver cancer, impacting the effectiveness of ICI therapy - a finding which has therapeutic implications in patients with NASH-related liver cancer. LAY SUMMARY: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis represents the fastest growing cause of hepatocellular carcinoma. It is also associated with reduced efficacy of immunotherapy, which is the standard of care for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Herein, we show that non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is associated with impaired motility, metabolic function, and response to anti-PD-1 treatment in hepatic CD8+ T cells, which can be rescued by metformin treatment. Published by Elsevier B.V.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) represents the fastest growing underlying cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and has been shown to impact immune effector cell function. The standard of care for the treatment of advanced HCC is immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, yet NASH may negatively affect the efficacy of ICI therapy in HCC. The immunologic mechanisms underlying the impact of NASH on ICI therapy remain unclear. METHODS: Herein, using multiple murine NASH models, we analysed the influence of NASH on the CD8+ T-cell-dependent anti-PD-1 responses against liver cancer. We characterised CD8+ T cells' transcriptomic, functional, and motility changes in mice receiving a normal diet (ND) or a NASH diet. RESULTS: NASH blunted the effect of anti-PD-1 therapy against liver cancers in multiple murine models. NASH caused a proinflammatory phenotypic change of hepatic CD8+ T cells. Transcriptomic analysis revealed changes related to NASH-dependent impairment of hepatic CD8+ T-cell metabolism. In vivo imaging analysis showed reduced motility of intratumoural CD8+ T cells. Metformin treatment rescued the efficacy of anti-PD-1 therapy against liver tumours in NASH. CONCLUSIONS: We discovered that CD8+ T-cell metabolism is critically altered in the context of NASH-related liver cancer, impacting the effectiveness of ICI therapy - a finding which has therapeutic implications in patients with NASH-related liver cancer. LAY SUMMARY: Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis represents the fastest growing cause of hepatocellular carcinoma. It is also associated with reduced efficacy of immunotherapy, which is the standard of care for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Herein, we show that non-alcoholic steatohepatitis is associated with impaired motility, metabolic function, and response to anti-PD-1 treatment in hepatic CD8+ T cells, which can be rescued by metformin treatment. Published by Elsevier B.V.
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