Abstract
Androgen receptor (AR)-positive prostate cancers (PCa) and estrogen receptor (ER)-positive luminal breast cancers (BCa) are generally less responsive to immunotherapy compared to certain tumor types such as melanoma. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully elucidated. Here we found that FOXA1 overexpression inversely correlated with interferon (IFN) signature and antigen presentation gene expression in PCa and BCa patients. FOXA1 bound STAT2 DNA binding domain and suppressed STAT2 DNA binding activity, IFN signaling gene expression and cancer immune response independently of the transactivation activity of FOXA1 and its mutations detected in prostate and breast cancers. Increased FOXA1 expression promoted cancer immuno- and chemotherapy resistance in mice and PCa and BCa patients. These findings were also validated in bladder cancer expressing high level FOXA1. FOXA1 overexpression could be a prognostic factor to predict therapy resistance and a viable target to sensitize luminal prostate, breast and bladder cancer to immuno- and chemotherapy.
Authors
Yundong He, Liguo Wang, Ting Wei, Yu-Tian Xiao, Haoyue Sheng, Hengchuan Su, Daniel P. Hollern, Xiaoling Zhang, Jian Ma, Simeng Wen, Hongyan Xie, Yuqian Yan, Yunqian Pan, Xiaonan Hou, Xiaojia Tang, Vera J. Suman, Jodi M. Carter, Richard Weinshilboum, Liewei Wang, Krishna R. Kalari, Saravut J. Weroha, Alan H. Bryce, Judy C. Boughey, Haidong Dong, Charles M. Perou, Dingwei Ye, Matthew P. Goetz, Shancheng Ren, Haojie Huang
Graphical abstract
Copyright © 2021 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)