Targeting of Cdc42 GTPase in regulatory T cells unleashes antitumor T-cell immunity.

BACKGROUND: Cancer immunotherapy has taken center stage in cancer treatment. However, the current immunotherapies only benefit a small proportion of patients with cancer, necessitating better understanding of the mechanisms of tumor immune evasion and improved cancer immunotherapy strategies. Regulatory T (Treg) cells play an important role in maintaining immune tolerance through inhibiting effector T-cell function. In the tumor microenvironment, Treg cells are used by tumor cells to counteract effector T cell-mediated tumor suppression. Targeting Treg cells may thus unleash the antitumor activity of effector T cells. While systemic depletion of Treg cells can cause excessive effector T-cell responses and subsequent autoimmune diseases, controlled targeting of Treg cells may benefit patients with cancer. METHODS: Treg cells from Treg cell-specific heterozygous Cdc42 knockout mice, C57BL/6 mice treated with a Cdc42 inhibitor CASIN, and control mice were examined for their homeostasis and stability by flow cytometry. The autoimmune responses in Treg cell-specific heterozygous Cdc42 knockout mice, CASIN-treated C57BL/6 mice, and control mice were assessed by H&E staining and ELISA. Antitumor T-cell immunity in Treg cell-specific heterozygous Cdc42 knockout mice, CASIN-treated C57BL/6 mice, humanized NSGS mice, and control mice was assessed by challenging the mice with MC38 mouse colon cancer cells, KPC mouse pancreatic cancer cells, or HCT116 human colon cancer cells. RESULTS: Treg cell-specific heterozygous deletion or pharmacological targeting of Cdc42 with CASIN does not affect Treg cell numbers but induces Treg cell instability, leading to antitumor T-cell immunity without detectable autoimmune reactions. Cdc42 targeting causes an additive effect on immune checkpoint inhibitor anti-programmed cell death protein-1 antibody-induced T-cell response against mouse and human tumors. Mechanistically, Cdc42 targeting induces Treg cell instability and unleashes antitumor T-cell immunity through carbonic anhydrase I-mediated pH changes. CONCLUSIONS: Rational targeting of Cdc42 in Treg cells holds therapeutic promises in cancer immunotherapy.

Graded RhoA GTPase Expression in Treg Cells Distinguishes Tumor Immunity From Autoimmunity.

RhoA of the Rho GTPase family is prenylated at its C-terminus. Prenylation of RhoA has been shown to control T helper 17 (Th17) cell-mediated colitis. By characterizing T cell-specific RhoA conditional knockout mice, we have recently shown that RhoA is required for Th2 and Th17 cell differentiation and Th2/Th17 cell-mediated allergic airway inflammation. It remains unclear whether RhoA plays a cell-intrinsic role in regulatory T (Treg) cells that suppress effector T cells such as Th2/Th17 cells to maintain immune tolerance and to promote tumor immune evasion. Here we have generated Treg cell-specific RhoA-deficient mice. We found that homozygous RhoA deletion in Treg cells led to early, fatal systemic inflammatory disorders. The autoimmune responses came from an increase in activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and in effector T cells including Th17, Th1 and Th2 cells. The immune activation was due to impaired Treg cell homeostasis and increased Treg cell plasticity. Interestingly, heterozygous RhoA deletion in Treg cells did not affect Treg cell homeostasis nor cause systemic autoimmunity but induced Treg cell plasticity and an increase in effector T cells. Importantly, heterozygous RhoA deletion significantly inhibited tumor growth, which was associated with tumor-infiltrating Treg cell plasticity and increased tumor-infiltrating effector T cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that graded RhoA expression in Treg cells distinguishes tumor immunity from autoimmunity and that rational targeting of RhoA in Treg cells may trigger anti-tumor T cell immunity without causing autoimmune responses.

Rational Targeting of Cdc42 Overcomes Drug Resistance of Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) drug resistance highlights a need for alternative therapeutic strategies. In this study, we show that CASIN, a selective inhibitor of cell division cycle 42 (Cdc42) GTPase, inhibited proliferation and survival of melphalan/bortezomib-resistant MM cells more profoundly than that of the sensitive cells. Furthermore, CASIN was more potent than melphalan/bortezomib in inhibiting melphalan/bortezomib-resistant cells. In addition, CASIN sensitized melphalan/bortezomib-resistant cells to this drug combination. Mechanistically, Cdc42 activity was higher in melphalan/bortezomib-resistant cells than that in the sensitive cells. CASIN inhibited mono-ubiquitination of Fanconi anemia (FA) complementation group D2 (FANCD2) of the FA DNA damage repair pathway in melphalan-resistant but not melphalan-sensitive cells, thereby sensitizing melphalan-resistant cells to DNA damage. CASIN suppressed epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activities to a larger extent in bortezomib-resistant than in melphalan-sensitive cells. Reconstitution of ERK activity partially protected CASIN-treated bortezomib-resistant cells from death, suggesting that CASIN-induced killing is attributable to suppression of ERK. Importantly, CASIN extended the lifespan of mouse xenografts of bortezomib-resistant cells and caused apoptosis of myeloma cells from bortezomib-resistant MM patients. Finally, CASIN had negligible side effects on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy human subjects and normal B cells. Our data provide a proof of concept demonstration that rational targeting of Cdc42 represents a promising approach to overcome MM drug resistance.

Ablation of RhoA impairs Th17 cell differentiation and alleviates house dust mite-triggered allergic airway inflammation.

Asthma is a heterogeneous chronic airway inflammation in which Th2 and Th17 cells are key players in its pathogenesis. We have reported that RhoA of Rho GTPases orchestrated glycolysis for Th2 cell differentiation and allergic airway inflammation by the use of a conditional RhoA-deficient mouse line. However, the role of RhoA in Th17 cells remains to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the effects of RhoA deficiency on Th17 cells in the context of ex vivo cell culture systems and an in vivo house dust mites (HDM)-induced allergic airway inflammation. We found that RhoA deficiency inhibited Th17 differentiation and effector cytokine secretion, which was associated with the downregulations of Stat3 and Rorγt, key Th17 transcription factors. Furthermore, loss of RhoA markedly suppressed Th17 and neutrophil-involved airway inflammation induced by HDM in mice. The infiltrating inflammatory cells in the lungs and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids were dramatically reduced in conditional RhoA-deficient mice. Th17 as well as Th2 effector cytokines were suppressed in the airways at both protein and mRNA levels. Interestingly, Y16, a specific RhoA inhibitor, was able to recapitulate the most phenotypes of RhoA genetic deletion in Th17 differentiation and allergic airway inflammation. Our data demonstrate that RhoA is a key regulator of Th17 cell differentiation and function. RhoA might serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for asthma and other inflammatory disorders.

Rational targeting Cdc42 restrains Th2 cell differentiation and prevents allergic airway inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is an allergic airway inflammation-driven disease that affects more than 300 million people world-wide. Targeted therapies for asthma are largely lacking. Although asthma symptoms can be prevented from worsening, asthma development cannot be prevented. Cdc42 GTPase has been shown to regulate actin cytoskeleton, cell proliferation and survival. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role and targeting of Cdc42 in Th2 cell differentiation and Th2-mediated allergic airway inflammation. METHODS: Post-thymic Cdc42-deficient mice were generated by crossing Cdc42flox/flox mice with dLckicre transgenic mice in which Cre expression is driven by distal Lck promoter. Effects of post-thymic Cdc42 deletion and pharmacological targeting Cdc42 on Th2 cell differentiation were evaluated in vitro under Th2-polarized culture conditions. Effects of post-thymic Cdc42 deletion and pharmacological targeting Cdc42 on allergic airway inflammation were evaluated in ovalbumin- and/or house dust mite-induced mouse models of asthma. RESULTS: Post-thymic deletion of Cdc42 led to reduced peripheral CD8+ T cells and attenuated Th2 cell differentiation, with no effect on closely related Th1, Th17 and induced regulatory T (iTreg) cells. Post-thymic Cdc42 deficiency ameliorated allergic airway inflammation. The selective inhibition of Th2 cell differentiation by post-thymic deletion of Cdc42 was recapitulated by pharmacological targeting of Cdc42 with CASIN, a Cdc42 activity-specific chemical inhibitor. CASIN also alleviated allergic airway inflammation. CASIN-treated Cdc42-deficient mice showed comparable allergic airway inflammation to vehicle-treated Cdc42-deficient mice, indicative of negligible off-target effect of CASIN. CASIN had no effect on established allergic airway inflammation. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Cdc42 is required for Th2 cell differentiation and allergic airway inflammation, and rational targeting Cdc42 may serve as a preventive but not therapeutic approach for asthma control.

Reciprocal Regulation of Glycolysis-Driven Th17 Pathogenicity and Regulatory T Cell Stability by Cdc42.

A balance between Th17 cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs) is important for host immunity and immune tolerance. The underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we have identified Cdc42 as a central regulator of Th17/Treg balance. Deletion of Cdc42 in T cells enhanced Th17 differentiation but diminished induced Treg differentiation and suppressive function. Treg-specific deletion of Cdc42 decreased natural Tregs but increased effector T cells including Th17 cells. Notably, Cdc42-deficient Th17 cells became pathogenic associated with enhanced glycolysis and Cdc42-deficient Tregs became unstable associated with weakened glycolytic signaling. Inhibition of glycolysis in Cdc42-deficient Th17 cells diminished their pathogenicity and restoration of glycolysis in Cdc42-deficient Tregs rescued their instability. Intriguingly, Cdc42 deficiency in T cells led to exacerbated wasting disease in mouse models of colitis and Treg-specific deletion of Cdc42 caused early, fatal lymphoproliferative diseases. In summary, we show that Cdc42 is a bona fide regulator of peripheral tolerance through suppression of Th17 aberrant differentiation/pathogenicity and promotion of Treg differentiation/stability/function involving metabolic signaling and thus Cdc42 pathway might be harnessed in autoimmune disease therapy.

mTOR has a developmental stage-specific role in mitochondrial fitness independent of conventional mTORC1 and mTORC2 and the kinase activity.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), present in mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTORC2, is a serine/threonine kinase that integrates nutrients, growth factors, and cellular energy status to control protein synthesis, cell growth, survival and metabolism. However, it remains elusive whether mTOR plays a developmental stage-specific role in tissue development and whether mTOR can function independent of its complexes and kinase activity. In this study, by inducible genetic manipulation approach, we investigated the role of mTOR and its dependence on mTOR complexes and kinase activity in mitochondrial fitness of early, progenitor stage (lineage-negative; Lin-) versus later, lineage-committed stage (lineage-positive; Lin+) of hematopoietic cells. We found that oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), ATP production and mitochondrial DNA synthesis were decreased in mTOR-/- Lin- cells but increased in mTOR-/- Lin+ cells, suggesting that mTOR plays a developmental stage-specific role in OXPHOS, ATP production and mitochondrial DNA synthesis. In contrast to mTOR deletion, simultaneous deletion of Raptor, a key component of mTORC1, and Rictor, a key component of mTORC2, led to increased mitochondrial DNA in Lin- cells and decreased mitochondrial DNA and ATP production in Lin+ cells, suggesting that mTOR regulates mitochondrial DNA synthesis in Lin- and Lin+ cells and ATP production in Lin+ cells independent of mTORC1 and mTORC2. Similar to mTOR deletion, deletion of Raptor alone attenuated glycolysis and increased mitochondrial mass and mitochondrial membrane potential in Lin- cells and increased mitochondrial mass and OXPHOS in Lin+ cells, whereas deletion of Rictor alone had no effect on these mitochondrial parameters in Lin- and Lin+ cells, suggesting that mTOR regulates glycolysis and mitochondrial membrane potential in Lin- cells, OXPHOS in Lin+ cells, and mitochondrial mass in both Lin- and Lin+ cells dependent on mTORC1, but not mTORC2. Either Raptor deficiency or Rictor deficiency recapitulated mTOR deletion in decreasing OXPHOS in Lin- cells and glycolysis in Lin+ cells, suggesting that mTOR regulates OXPHOS in Lin- cells and glycolysis in Lin+ cells dependent on both mTORC1 and mTORC2. Finally, mice harboring a mTOR kinase dead D2338A knock-in mutant showed decreased glycolysis in Lin+ cells, as seen in mTOR-/- Lin+ cells, but no change in glycolysis in Lin- cells, in contrast to the decreased glycolysis in mTOR-/- Lin- cells, suggesting that mTOR regulates glycolysis in Lin+ cells dependent on its kinase activity, whereas mTOR regulates glycolysis in Lin- cells independent of its kinase activity.

RhoA orchestrates glycolysis for TH2 cell differentiation and allergic airway inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial metabolism is known to be important for T-cell activation. However, its involvement in effector T-cell differentiation has just begun to gain attention. Importantly, how metabolic pathways are integrated with T-cell activation and effector cell differentiation and function remains largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: We sought to test our hypothesis that RhoA GTPase orchestrates glycolysis for TH2 cell differentiation and TH2-mediated allergic airway inflammation. METHODS: Conditional RhoA-deficient mice were generated by crossing RhoA(flox/flox) mice with CD2-Cre transgenic mice. Effects of RhoA on TH2 differentiation were evaluated based on in vitro TH2-polarized culture conditions and in vivo in ovalbumin-induced allergic airway inflammation. Cytokine levels were measured by using intracellular staining and ELISA. T-cell metabolism was measured by using the Seahorse XF24 Analyzer and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Disruption of RhoA inhibited T-cell activation and TH2 differentiation in vitro and prevented the development of allergic airway inflammation in vivo, with no effect on TH1 cells. RhoA deficiency in activated T cells led to multiple defects in metabolic pathways, such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation. Importantly, RhoA couples glycolysis to TH2 cell differentiation and allergic airway inflammation through regulating IL-4 receptor mRNA expression and TH2-specific signaling events. Finally, inhibition of Rho-associated protein kinase, an immediate downstream effector of RhoA, blocked TH2 differentiation and allergic airway inflammation. CONCLUSION: RhoA is a key component of the signaling cascades leading to TH2 differentiation and allergic airway inflammation at least in part through control of T-cell metabolism and the Rho-associated protein kinase pathway.

Prostaglandin E2 inhibits IL-23 and IL-12 production by human monocytes through down-regulation of their common p40 subunit.

The heterodimeric cytokine IL-23 is important for the maintenance of Th17 cells, which are pivotal mediators of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, colitis, and multiple sclerosis. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) is a soluble regulator of inflammation that has both pro- and anti-inflammatory properties. PGE2 has been shown to elevate the IL-23 production by dendritic cells (DC). Monocytes are also producers of IL-23 but the effect of PGE2 on IL-23 production by human monocytes has hardly been investigated. We show here that PGE2 blocks the production of IL-23 by LPS-stimulated monocytes in an IL-10 and IL-1ß independent manner. This effect was due to the down-regulation of the p40 subunit of IL-23 on mRNA and protein level. The p40 subunit is shared by IL-12 and, consistently, PGE2 also lowered the IL-12 production by monocytes. These effects of PGE2 were cAMP-dependent since the cAMP enhancer forskolin strongly reduced IL-23 and IL-12 production by monocytes. Taken together, PGE2 acts in an anti-inflammatory manner by lowering IL-23 production by monocytes while it has the opposite effect in DC. Our data may help to reconcile controversial point of views on the pro- and anti-inflammatory nature of PGE2 by making a strong case for a cell type-dependent function.

Immunoproteasome subunit LMP7 deficiency and inhibition suppresses Th1 and Th17 but enhances regulatory T cell differentiation.

The immunoproteasome generates peptides presented on MHC class I molecules to cytotoxic T cells. ONX 0914 (formerly called PR-957) is a selective inhibitor of the immunoproteasome subunit low molecular mass polypeptide (LMP) 7 (ß5i) that attenuates disease progression in mouse models of diabetes, colitis, and arthritis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of LMP7-specific inhibition on major Th cell differentiation pathways involved in the progression of autoimmune diseases in vitro and in vivo. We used ONX 0914-treated wild-type CD4(+) T cells and also LMP7(-/-) CD4(+) T cells under different Th cell-polarizing conditions, focusing on the effector cytokines and transcription factors involved, and compared them with wild-type CD4(+) T cells. Mouse models of dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis and a T cell transfer model of colitis were used for in vivo assessment. Deletion or inhibition of LMP7 suppressed generation of Th17 but promoted regulatory T cell (Treg) development. In developing Th17 cells, immunoproteasome inhibition blocked phosphorylation of STAT3, whereas in Tregs, SMAD phosphorylation was enhanced. Additionally, LMP7 inhibition led to reduced STAT1 phosphorylation and Th1 differentiation. These findings were confirmed in vivo as LMP7 inhibition or deficiency resulted in reduced Th1 and Th17 expansion while promoting Treg development in dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis. Also, in a T cell-dependent transfer model of colitis, LMP7-specific inhibition led to reduced Th1 and Th17 differentiation in vivo. LMP7 governs Th cell lineage determination by affecting the balance of receptor proximal signals during differentiation. These data render LMP7 a promising drug target for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.

A selective inhibitor of the immunoproteasome subunit LMP7 blocks cytokine production and attenuates progression of experimental arthritis.

The immunoproteasome, a distinct class of proteasome found predominantly in monocytes and lymphocytes, is known to shape the antigenic repertoire presented on class I major histocompatibility complexes (MHC-I). However, a specific role for the immunoproteasome in regulating other facets of immune responses has not been established. We describe here the characterization of PR-957, a selective inhibitor of low-molecular mass polypeptide-7 (LMP7, encoded by Psmb8), the chymotrypsin-like subunit of the immunoproteasome. PR-957 blocked presentation of LMP7-specific, MHC-I-restricted antigens in vitro and in vivo. Selective inhibition of LMP7 by PR-957 blocked production of interleukin-23 (IL-23) by activated monocytes and interferon-gamma and IL-2 by T cells. In mouse models of rheumatoid arthritis, PR-957 treatment reversed signs of disease and resulted in reductions in cellular infiltration, cytokine production and autoantibody levels. These studies reveal a unique role for LMP7 in controlling pathogenic immune responses and provide a therapeutic rationale for targeting LMP7 in autoimmune disorders.