[HTML][HTML] Ubiquitin-specific protease-7 inhibition impairs Tip60-dependent Foxp3+ T-regulatory cell function and promotes antitumor immunity

L Wang, S Kumar, S Dahiya, F Wang, J Wu… - …, 2016 - thelancet.com
L Wang, S Kumar, S Dahiya, F Wang, J Wu, K Newick, R Han, A Samanta, UH Beier
EBioMedicine, 2016thelancet.com
Abstract Foxp3+ T-regulatory (Treg) cells are known to suppress protective host immune
responses to a wide variety of solid tumors, but their therapeutic targeting is largely restricted
to their transient depletion or" secondary" modulation, eg using anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal
antibody. Our ongoing studies of the post-translational modifications that regulate Foxp3
demonstrated that the histone/protein acetyltransferase, Tip60, plays a dominant role in
promoting acetylation, dimerization and function in Treg cells. We now show that the …
Abstract
Foxp3+ T-regulatory (Treg) cells are known to suppress protective host immune responses to a wide variety of solid tumors, but their therapeutic targeting is largely restricted to their transient depletion or "secondary" modulation, e.g. using anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody. Our ongoing studies of the post-translational modifications that regulate Foxp3 demonstrated that the histone/protein acetyltransferase, Tip60, plays a dominant role in promoting acetylation, dimerization and function in Treg cells. We now show that the ubiquitin-specific protease, Usp7, controls Treg function largely by stabilizing the expression and promoting the multimerization of Tip60 and Foxp3. Genetic or pharmacologic targeting of Usp7 impairs Foxp3+ Treg suppressive functions, while conventional T cell responses remain intact. As a result, pharmacologic inhibitors of Usp7 can limit tumor growth in immunocompetent mice, and promote the efficacy of antitumor vaccines and immune checkpoint therapy with anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody in murine models. Hence, pharmacologic therapy with Usp7 inhibitors may have an important role in future cancer immunotherapy.
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