Most cancers grow progressively and evade immunity, despite expression of numerous antigens. Recent evidence has suggested two broad categories of immune escape - a major subset of tumors lacks evidence for T cell-based inflammation and likely represents a situation of immunologic ignorance; but a second subset does indeed contain activated CD8+ T cells that seem to be suppressed through immune inhibitory pathways. The second subset appears to include the majority of patients who respond to currently studied immunotherapies in the clinic, which makes understanding the mechanism driving this spontaneous smoldering anti-tumor immune response in a subset of patients a major fundamental question. Beginning with gene expression profiling of human melanoma samples and through mechanistic studies in mice, we recently have uncovered a critical role for host type I IFN production as a bridge between innate immune sensing and spontaneous CD8+ T cell priming in response to a growing tumor in vivo. But what host innate immune pathway detects a tumor product and drives type I IFN production? Unexpectedly, our preliminary data have suggested that it is tumor-derived DNA which activates a pathway involving the adapter STING to drive IFN-? production by APCs. In STING-/- mice, spontaneous T cell priming by tumors is ablated, and immunogenic tumors that normally are spontaneously rejected grow progressively. The overall goal of this proposal is to understand the mechanism by which the host STING pathway becomes activated by tumors in vivo, and to identify the level of block in this pathway in non-inflamed human melanomas. In the first specific aim, we will investigate the mechanisms by which DNA becomes transferred to host APCs to drive IFN-? production in response to tumor challenge in vivo. Multiple methods will be used to track tumor derived DNA transfer and to phenotype the APCs taking up DNA and responding with IFN-? production. The role for host DNase II in limiting this response will be determined. A novel inducible genetic melanoma model will be used to supplement data with transplantable tumors. In the second specific aim, the regulation of the host STING pathway by candidate DNA sensors and regulators will be evaluated. The focus will be on cGAS, p204, and AIM2. Impact on signaling through the STING pathway will be studied in vitro, and anti-tumor immunity will be interrogated in vivo using gene-targeted mice. In the third specific aim, human melanoma samples already characterized for the level of CD8+ T cell infiltration will be evaluated for the level of block inthis tumor DNA sensing pathway to decipher the reason for failed spontaneous immune recognition in a major subset of patients. Together, these results will elucidate a new fundamental process involved in the host recognition of tumors, and will enable the design of new strategies to promote effective anti-tumor immunity in vivo, particularly in cases that lack spontaneous host immune responses.

Public Health Relevance

The overall purpose of this proposal is to identify the mechanism by which tumor-derived DNA activates the host STING pathway to provide innate immune activation and initiation of a spontaneous T cell response against cancers in vivo. Uncovering these basic mechanisms should have profound implications for understanding the tumor-host interaction, and also should lead to new therapeutic approaches based on promoting natural anti-tumor immunity with rapid potential for clinical translation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA181160-03
Application #
9063483
Study Section
Transplantation, Tolerance, and Tumor Immunology (TTT)
Program Officer
Mccarthy, Susan A
Project Start
2014-07-08
Project End
2017-05-31
Budget Start
2016-06-01
Budget End
2017-05-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Chicago
Department
Pathology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
005421136
City
Chicago
State
IL
Country
United States
Zip Code
60637
Corrales, Leticia; Matson, Vyara; Flood, Blake et al. (2017) Innate immune signaling and regulation in cancer immunotherapy. Cell Res 27:96-108
Corrales, Leticia; McWhirter, Sarah M; Dubensky Jr, Thomas W et al. (2016) The host STING pathway at the interface of cancer and immunity. J Clin Invest 126:2404-11
Spranger, Stefani; Sivan, Ayelet; Corrales, Leticia et al. (2016) Tumor and Host Factors Controlling Antitumor Immunity and Efficacy of Cancer Immunotherapy. Adv Immunol 130:75-93
Corrales, Leticia; Woo, Seng-Ryong; Williams, Jason B et al. (2016) Antagonism of the STING Pathway via Activation of the AIM2 Inflammasome by Intracellular DNA. J Immunol 196:3191-8
Corrales, Leticia; Gajewski, Thomas F (2016) Endogenous and pharmacologic targeting of the STING pathway in cancer immunotherapy. Cytokine 77:245-7
Corrales, Leticia; Gajewski, Thomas F (2015) Molecular Pathways: Targeting the Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING) in the Immunotherapy of Cancer. Clin Cancer Res 21:4774-9
Corrales, Leticia; Glickman, Laura Hix; McWhirter, Sarah M et al. (2015) Direct Activation of STING in the Tumor Microenvironment Leads to Potent and Systemic Tumor Regression and Immunity. Cell Rep 11:1018-30
Gajewski, Thomas F; Corrales, Leticia (2015) New perspectives on type I IFNs in cancer. Cytokine Growth Factor Rev 26:175-8
Woo, Seng-Ryong; Corrales, Leticia; Gajewski, Thomas F (2015) The STING pathway and the T cell-inflamed tumor microenvironment. Trends Immunol 36:250-6
Gajewski, Thomas F (2015) The Next Hurdle in Cancer Immunotherapy: Overcoming the Non-T-Cell-Inflamed Tumor Microenvironment. Semin Oncol 42:663-71

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