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Hahn SA, Neuhoff A, Landsberg J, Schupp J, Eberts D, Leukel P, Bros M, Weilbaecher M, Schuppan D, Grabbe S, Tueting T, Lennerz V, Sommer C, Jonuleit H, Tuettenberg A. A key role of GARP in the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment. Oncotarget 2018; 7:42996-43009. [PMID: 27248166 PMCID: PMC5190003 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.9598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Accepted: 05/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In melanoma patients, one of the main reasons for tumor immune escape and therapy failure is the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Herein, suppressive immune cells and inhibitory factors secreted by the tumor itself play a central role. In the present study we show that the Treg activation marker GARP (glycoprotein A repetitions predominant), known to induce peripheral tolerance in a TGF-β dependent way, is also expressed on human primary melanoma. Interestingly, membrane bound GARP is shed from the surface of both, activated Treg and melanoma cells, and, in its soluble form (sGARP), not only induces peripheral Treg but also a tumor associated (M2) macrophage phenotype. Notably, proliferation of cytotoxic T cells and their effector function is inhibited in the presence of sGARP. GARP expression on Treg and melanoma cells is significantly decreased in the presence of agents such as IFN-α, thus explaining at least in part a novel mechanism of action of this adjuvant therapy. In conclusion, GARP in its soluble and membrane bound form contributes to peripheral tolerance in a multipronged way, potentiates the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and thus acts as a negative regulator in melanoma patients. Therefore, it may qualify as a promising target and a new checkpoint for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne A Hahn
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Annemarie Neuhoff
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jenny Landsberg
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Bonn, Germany
| | - Jonathan Schupp
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Daniela Eberts
- Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Petra Leukel
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Matthias Bros
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Martin Weilbaecher
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Detlef Schuppan
- Institute of Translational Immunology and Research Center for Immunotherapy (FZI), University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany.,Division of Gastroenterology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Stephan Grabbe
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Thomas Tueting
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Bonn, Germany
| | - Volker Lennerz
- Department of Medicine II, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Clemens Sommer
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Helmut Jonuleit
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Andrea Tuettenberg
- Department of Dermatology, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
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