Yafei Huang

Dimethyl fumarate reprograms cervical cancer cells to enhance antitumor immunity by activating mtDNA-cGAS-STING pathway

Abstract Background Cervical cancer (CC) remains a significant global health challenge for women, especially in advanced stages where effective treatments are limited. Current immunotherapies, including PD-1/PD-L1 blockades and adoptive T cell therapies, show limited response rates and durability. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF), an FDA-approved drug for autoimmune diseases, has demonstrated direct antitumor activity in several cancers. However, its influence on anti-tumor immunity and its function in CC remain poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic potential of DMF in CC models and elucidate its underlying mechanisms of action. Methods CC cell lines and mouse models were treated with DMF. Transcriptomics profiling of cervical cancer cells following DMF treatment were analyzed by RNA-seq and bioinformatic methods. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release, and cGAS-STING activation were assessed via qPCR, immunofluorescence, immunoblotting and ELISA. CD8+ T cell recruitment was analyzed by flow cytometry. Combinatorial therapies (DMF + anti-PD-1/TILs) were tested in syngeneic or patient-derived xenografts (PDX) models. Results DMF treatment induces mitochondrial dysfunction in tumor cells, resulting in the release of mtDNA into the cytosol. The cytosolic mtDNA in turn activates the cGAS-STING-TBK1 pathway and type I interferon response, leading to the secretion of CCL5 and CXCL10, thereby enhancing CD8⁺ T cell infiltration. Additionally, DMF exhibits synergistic effect with PD-1 blockade in murine CC model, and can enhance the therapeutic efficacy of adoptively transferred T cells toward CC in patient-derived xenografts model. Conclusion This work elucidated that DMF reprograms CC cells to activate the mtDNA-cGAS-STING pathway, fostering a chemokine-rich microenvironment that recruits CD8+ T cells. The synergistic effect of DMF and PD-1 blockade or TIL therapy underscores its potential as an immunostimulatory adjuvant. These findings suggest that DMF holds promise as a novel immunotherapeutic strategy for improving clinical outcomes in CC. Graphical Abstract

Autologous Peripheral Vγ9Vδ2 T Cell Synergizes with αβ T Cell Through Antigen Presentation and BTN3A1 Blockade in Immunotherapy of Cervical Cancer

AbstractNew treatment strategies are urgently needed for patients with advanced cervical cancer (CC). Here, a synergistic anti‐CC effect of a novel combinatorial immunotherapy with adoptively transferred autologous Vγ9Vδ2 T cells and αβ T cells is shown. The pivotal role of both circulating and tumor‐infiltrating Vγ9Vδ2 T cells in anti‐CC immunity is uncovered. Importantly, autologous Vγ9Vδ2 T cells show a synergistic anti‐CC effect with αβ T cells not only through killing tumor directly, but also by promoting the activation and tumoricidal activity of syngeneic αβ T cells through antigen presentation, which can be further boosted by conventional chemotherapy. Moreover, Vγ9Vδ2 T cells can restore the tumoricidal function of αβ T cell through competitively binding to BTN3A1, a TCR‐Vγ9Vδ2 ligand on CC cells upregulated by IFN‐γ derived from activated αβ T cell. These findings uncover a critical synergistic effect of autologous Vγ9Vδ2 T cells and αβ T cells in immunotherapy of CC and reveal the underlying mechanisms.

DHCR7 promotes lymph node metastasis in cervical cancer through cholesterol reprogramming-mediated activation of the KANK4/PI3K/AKT axis and VEGF-C secretion

Cervical cancer (CC) patients with lymph node metastasis (LNM) have a poor prognosis. However, the molecular mechanism of LNM in CC is unclear, and there is no effective clinical treatment. Here, we found that 7-dehydrocholesterol reductase (DHCR7), an enzyme that catalyzes the last step of cholesterol synthesis, was upregulated in CC and closely related to LNM. Gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments proved that DHCR7 promoted the invasion ability of CC cells and lymphangiogenesis in vitro and induced LNM in vivo. The LNM-promoting effect of DHCR7 was partly mediated by upregulating KN motif and ankyrin repeat domains 4 (KANK4) expression and subsequently activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Alternatively, DHCR7 promoted the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C), and thereby lymphangiogenesis. Interestingly, cholesterol reprogramming was needed for the DHCR7-mediated promotion of activation of the KANK4/PI3K/AKT axis, VEGF-C secretion, and subsequent LNM. Importantly, treatment with the DHCR7 inhibitors AY9944 and tamoxifen (TAM) significantly inhibited LNM of CC, suggesting the clinical application potential of DHCR7 inhibitors in CC. Collectively, our results uncover a novel molecular mechanism of LNM in CC and identify DHCR7 as a new potential therapeutic target.