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PLA2G4A promotes right-sided colorectal cancer progression by inducing CD39+γδ Treg polarization
Yang Zhan, Lei Zheng, Jia Liu, Dongzhi Hu, Junfeng Wang, Kai Liu, Jiansheng Guo, Ti Zhang, Dalu Kong
Yang Zhan, Lei Zheng, Jia Liu, Dongzhi Hu, Junfeng Wang, Kai Liu, Jiansheng Guo, Ti Zhang, Dalu Kong
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Research Article Oncology

PLA2G4A promotes right-sided colorectal cancer progression by inducing CD39+γδ Treg polarization

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Abstract

The γδ T cell is a promising candidate cell in tumor immunotherapy. However, γδ T cells polarize to CD39+γδ Tregs upon colorectal cancer (CRC) induction, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we show that the frequency of CD39+γδ Tregs, which positively correlated with poor prognosis, was significantly higher in right-sided CRC (RSCRC) than in the left-sided CRC (LSCRC). Interestingly, CD39+γδ Tregs from RSCRC showed stronger immunosuppressive phenotype and function than LSCRC. Furthermore, the quantitative mass spectrometry data show that CD39+γδ Treg polarization was related to the abnormal activation of the Phospholipase a2-IVa/Arachidonic acid (PLA2G4A/AA) metabolic pathway in RSCRC. Using an in vitro coculture system and an orthotopic murine model of CRC, we show that the overexpression of Pla2g4a in CT26 cells induced CD39+γδ Tregs, inhibiting the antitumor immune response. Finally, we found that the overall survival of the PLA2G4Ahi group was significantly shortened compared with PLA2G4Alo RSCRC, while the survival of LSCRC showed the opposite. Collectively, RSCRC with abnormal PLA2G4A expression educates γδ T cells into CD39+γδ Tregs to promote tumor progression and metastasis. Our work highlights the interaction between cancer cells and immune cells by distinguishing the primary tumor site and deepens the understanding of the tumor microenvironment and immunosuppression.

Authors

Yang Zhan, Lei Zheng, Jia Liu, Dongzhi Hu, Junfeng Wang, Kai Liu, Jiansheng Guo, Ti Zhang, Dalu Kong

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Figure 7

Exogenous AA promotes CD39+γδ Tregs polarization in vitro.

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Exogenous AA promotes CD39+γδ Tregs polarization in vitro.
(A–D) Exogeno...
(A–D) Exogenous AA (5 μM) induced the expression of CD39 on γδ T cells. γδ T cells sorted from BALB/c mice were treated with AA (5 μM) in vitro, and the expression of CD39 on γδ T cells was determined by flow cytometry at 12 hours (A) and 36 hours (C). The percentages of CD39 positive cells at 12 hours (B) and 36 hours (D) were calculated and compared using an unpaired t test (n = 3). (E) Exogenous AA (5 μM) decreased the production of IFN-γ in γδ T cells. The percentages of IFN-γ+ cells by intracellular staining at 36 hours (F) were calculated and compared using an unpaired t test (n = 3). (G) AA-induced CD39+γδ Tregs inhibited the proliferation of CD8+cells. AA-induced CD39+γδ Tregs sorted by flow cytometry were then mix with CFSE-labeled αβ T cells from BALB/c mice at a 1:5 ratio and activated by anti-CD3/CD28 mAb with or without anti-CD39 mAb/A2AR inhibitor AZD4635. CFSE was determined by flow cytometry, gating on CD8+cells. (H) Percentage of CFSE-low cells were calculated and compared using 1-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple-comparison test (n = 3). Data are represented as mean ± SEM of 2–3 independent experiments.

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