Lymphatic-derived oxysterols promote anti-tumor immunity and response to immunotherapy in melanoma

Abstract In melanoma, lymphangiogenesis correlates with metastasis and poor prognosis and promotes immunosuppression. However, it also potentiates immunotherapy by supporting immune cell trafficking. We show in a lymphangiogenic murine melanoma that lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) upregulate the...

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Main Authors: Mengzhu Sun, Laure Garnier, Romane Chevalier, Martin Roumain, Chen Wang, Julien Angelillo, Julien Montorfani, Robert Pick, Dale Brighouse, Nadine Fournier, David Tarussio, Stéphanie Tissot, Jean-Marc Lobaccaro, Tatiana V. Petrova, Camilla Jandus, Daniel E. Speiser, Manfred Kopf, Caroline Pot, Christoph Scheiermann, Krisztian Homicsko, Giulio G. Muccioli, Abhishek D. Garg, Stéphanie Hugues
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-01-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-55969-w
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Summary:Abstract In melanoma, lymphangiogenesis correlates with metastasis and poor prognosis and promotes immunosuppression. However, it also potentiates immunotherapy by supporting immune cell trafficking. We show in a lymphangiogenic murine melanoma that lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) upregulate the enzyme Ch25h, which catalyzes the formation of 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) from cholesterol and plays important roles in lipid metabolism, gene regulation, and immune activation. We identify a role for LECs as a source of extracellular 25-HC in tumors inhibiting PPAR-γ in intra-tumoral macrophages and monocytes, preventing their immunosuppressive function and instead promoting their conversion into proinflammatory myeloid cells that support effector T cell functions. In human melanoma, LECs also upregulate Ch25h, and its expression correlates with the lymphatic vessel signature, infiltration of pro-inflammatory macrophages, better patient survival, and better response to immunotherapy. We identify here in mechanistic detail an important LEC function that supports anti-tumor immunity, which can be therapeutically exploited in combination with immunotherapy.
ISSN:2041-1723