Project description:Tumor-angiogenesis and -immunity play critical roles in cancer progression and outcome. The existence of an inverse correlation hints at common regulatory mechanism(s) controlling these two processes. Here, we report that Zbtb46, a repressive transcription factor and widely accepted marker for classical dendritic cells (DCs), constitutes one such regulatory mechanism in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and is downregulated in both DCs and endothelial cells (ECs) by tumor-derived factors to facilitate robust tumor growth. This downregulation leads to the development of hallmark features of a pro-tumor environment, including dysfunctional vasculature and immunosuppressive cell accumulation. Analysis of cancer patient data revealed a similar association of a low ZBTB46 expression with an immunosuppressive TME and a worse prognosis. In contrast, upon enforced Zbtb46 expression, the hallmark TME features are mitigated, and tumor growth is restricted. Mechanistically, Zbtb46-deficient ECs were highly angiogenic, and Zbtb46-deficient bone-marrow precursors upregulated Cebpb and showed enhanced myeloid lineage output. Conversely, Zbtb46-maintenance normalizes ECs and, by suppressing Cebpb, skews the polarization of bone-marrow precursors towards more DCs and fewer macrophages, leading to an immune-hot TME. Remarkably, Zbtb46 mRNA treatment synergized with anti-PD1 immunotherapy to improve tumor management in pre-clinical models. These findings identify Zbtb46 as a common regulatory mechanism for angiogenesis and for non-hematopoietic-stem-cell-mediated myeloid lineage skewing in cancer and suggest that maintaining its expression could have therapeutic benefits.
Project description:Tumor-angiogenesis and -immunity play critical roles in cancer progression and outcome. An inverse correlation of these two1 hints at common regulatory mechanism(s). Here, we report that Zbtb46, a repressive transcription factor and a widely accepted marker for classical dendritic cells (DCs)2,3, constitutes one such regulatory mechanism. Zbtb46 was downregulated in both DCs and endothelial cells (ECs) by tumor-derived factors to facilitate robust tumor growth. Zbtb46 downregulation led to a hallmark pro-tumor microenvironment (TME), including dysfunctional vasculature and immunosuppressive cell accumulation. Analysis of cancer patient data revealed a similar association of low ZBTB46 expression with an immunosuppressive TME and a worse prognosis. In contrast, enforced Zbtb46 expression brought dynamic changes in the TME landscape to mitigate the pro-tumor features and to enhance anti-tumor immune components, restricting tumor growth. Mechanistically, Zbtb46-deficient ECs were highly angiogenic, and Zbtb46-deficient bone-marrow progenitors upregulated Cebpb and diverted the DC program to myeloid lineage output, potentially explaining the myeloid lineage skewing phenomenon in cancer4. Conversely, enforced Zbtb46 expression normalized tumor vessels and, by suppressing Cebpb, skewed bone-marrow precursors towards more DC generation over macrophages, leading to an immune-hot TME. Remarkably, Zbtb46 mRNA treatment synergized with anti-PD1 immunotherapy to improve tumor management in pre-clinical models. These findings identify Zbtb46 as a common regulatory mechanism for angiogenesis and for myeloid lineage skewing in cancer and suggest that maintaining its expression could have therapeutic benefits.
Project description:While VEGF-targeted therapies are showing promise in clinical studies, new angiogenesis targets are needed to make additional gains. Here, we show that increased Zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) expression in either tumor cells or in tumor vasculature is predictive of poor clinical outcome. The increase in endothelial EZH2 is a direct result of VEGF stimulation and indicates the presence of a paracrine circuit that promotes angiogenesis by methylating and silencing vasohibin 1 (VASH1). EZH2 silencing in the tumor-associated endothelial cells resulted in inhibition of angiogenesis mediated by reactivation of VASH1, and reduced ovarian cancer growth. Combined, these data provide a new understanding of the regulation of tumor angiogenesis and support the potential for targeting EZH2 as a novel therapeutic approach. Pre-clinical study, DNA microarray (Illumina HumanHT-12)
Project description:We unexpectedly identify one unique subset of group 3 innate lymphoid cells (ILC3s) that co-expresses Zbtb46, a transcription factor that specifies conventional dendritic cells (cDCs). Zbtb46 is robustly expressed by CCR6+ lymphoid tissue inducer (LTi)-like ILC3s that are developmentally and phenotypically distinct from cDCs. To determine the function of Zbtb46 in ILC3s, we performed RNA sequencing on CCR6+ ILC3s sorted from the large intestine of Zbtb46 f/f and Rorc Cre Zbtb46 f/f mice at steady state.
Project description:While VEGF-targeted therapies are showing promise in clinical studies, new angiogenesis targets are needed to make additional gains. Here, we show that increased Zeste homologue 2 (EZH2) expression in either tumor cells or in tumor vasculature is predictive of poor clinical outcome. The increase in endothelial EZH2 is a direct result of VEGF stimulation and indicates the presence of a paracrine circuit that promotes angiogenesis by methylating and silencing vasohibin 1 (VASH1). EZH2 silencing in the tumor-associated endothelial cells resulted in inhibition of angiogenesis mediated by reactivation of VASH1, and reduced ovarian cancer growth. Combined, these data provide a new understanding of the regulation of tumor angiogenesis and support the potential for targeting EZH2 as a novel therapeutic approach.
Project description:Zbtb46 represses G-CSFR and LifR in cDCs Zbtb46 does not significantly affect gene expression in erythroid progenitors WT, Het, and KO cells were sorted from BM or spleen and analyzed. Pre MegE cells were sorted as CD117+ CD150+ CD105-CD41-CD16/32-. Pre CFU-E cells were sorted as CD117+ CD150+ CD105lo CD41- CD16/32-. CFU-E cells were sorted as CD117+ CD150- CD105+ Cd41- CD16/32-. Splenic CD4+ DCs were sorted as B220- CD11c+ MHCII+ CD8- CD172+ CD11b+ CD4+.