Blockade of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase induces immunogenic cell death and accelerates immunotherapy

Background Enhanced glucose metabolism has been reported in many cancers. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a rate-limiting enzyme involved in the pentose phosphate pathway, which maintains NADPH levels and protects cells from oxidative damage. We recently found that low G6PD expression co...

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Main Authors: Akimichi Morita, Hiroshi Kato, Motoki Nakamura, Maki Yoshimitsu, Tetsuya Magara, Katsuhiro Okuda, Keisuke Yokota, Shinji Kano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2024-07-01
Series:Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
Online Access:https://jitc.bmj.com/content/12/7/e008441.full
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author Akimichi Morita
Hiroshi Kato
Motoki Nakamura
Maki Yoshimitsu
Tetsuya Magara
Katsuhiro Okuda
Keisuke Yokota
Shinji Kano
author_facet Akimichi Morita
Hiroshi Kato
Motoki Nakamura
Maki Yoshimitsu
Tetsuya Magara
Katsuhiro Okuda
Keisuke Yokota
Shinji Kano
author_sort Akimichi Morita
collection DOAJ
description Background Enhanced glucose metabolism has been reported in many cancers. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a rate-limiting enzyme involved in the pentose phosphate pathway, which maintains NADPH levels and protects cells from oxidative damage. We recently found that low G6PD expression correlates with active tumor immunity. However, the mechanism involving G6PD and tumor immunity remained unclear.Methods We conducted in vitro studies using G6PD-knocked down malignant melanoma cells, pathway analysis using the GEO dataset, in vivo studies in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) using a mouse melanoma model, and prognostic analysis in 42 melanoma patients and 30 lung cancer patients who were treated with ICIs.Results Inhibition of G6PD, both chemically and genetically, has been shown to decrease the production of NADPH and reduce their oxidative stress tolerance. This leads to cell death, which is accompanied by the release of high mobility group box 1 and the translocation of calreticulin to the plasma membrane. These findings suggested that inhibiting G6PD can induce immunogenic cell death. In experiments with C57BL/6 mice transplanted with G6PD-knockdown B16 melanoma cells and treated with anti-PD-L1 antibody, a significant reduction in tumor size was observed. Interestingly, inhibiting G6PD in only a part of the lesions increased the sensitivity of other lesions to ICI. Additionally, out of 42 melanoma patients and 30 lung cancer patients treated with ICIs, those with low G6PD expression had a better prognosis than those with high G6PD expression (p=0.0473; melanoma, p=0.0287; lung cancer).Conclusion G6PD inhibition is a potent therapeutic strategy that triggers immunogenic cell death in tumors, significantly augmenting the efficacy of immunotherapies.
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spelling doaj-art-1aa32c0a1f074e7a93a843d40b0dbb972025-08-20T03:01:02ZengBMJ Publishing GroupJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer2051-14262024-07-0112710.1136/jitc-2023-008441Blockade of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase induces immunogenic cell death and accelerates immunotherapyAkimichi Morita0Hiroshi Kato1Motoki Nakamura2Maki Yoshimitsu3Tetsuya Magara4Katsuhiro Okuda5Keisuke Yokota6Shinji Kano7Department of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences and Medical School, Nagoya, JapanDepartment of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences and Medical School, Nagoya, JapanDepartment of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences and Medical School, Nagoya, JapanDepartment of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences and Medical School, Nagoya, JapanDepartment of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences and Medical School, Nagoya, JapanDepartment of Oncology, Immunology and Surgery, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, JapanDepartment of Oncology, Immunology and Surgery, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, JapanDepartment of Geriatric and Environmental Dermatology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences and Medical School, Nagoya, JapanBackground Enhanced glucose metabolism has been reported in many cancers. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is a rate-limiting enzyme involved in the pentose phosphate pathway, which maintains NADPH levels and protects cells from oxidative damage. We recently found that low G6PD expression correlates with active tumor immunity. However, the mechanism involving G6PD and tumor immunity remained unclear.Methods We conducted in vitro studies using G6PD-knocked down malignant melanoma cells, pathway analysis using the GEO dataset, in vivo studies in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) using a mouse melanoma model, and prognostic analysis in 42 melanoma patients and 30 lung cancer patients who were treated with ICIs.Results Inhibition of G6PD, both chemically and genetically, has been shown to decrease the production of NADPH and reduce their oxidative stress tolerance. This leads to cell death, which is accompanied by the release of high mobility group box 1 and the translocation of calreticulin to the plasma membrane. These findings suggested that inhibiting G6PD can induce immunogenic cell death. In experiments with C57BL/6 mice transplanted with G6PD-knockdown B16 melanoma cells and treated with anti-PD-L1 antibody, a significant reduction in tumor size was observed. Interestingly, inhibiting G6PD in only a part of the lesions increased the sensitivity of other lesions to ICI. Additionally, out of 42 melanoma patients and 30 lung cancer patients treated with ICIs, those with low G6PD expression had a better prognosis than those with high G6PD expression (p=0.0473; melanoma, p=0.0287; lung cancer).Conclusion G6PD inhibition is a potent therapeutic strategy that triggers immunogenic cell death in tumors, significantly augmenting the efficacy of immunotherapies.https://jitc.bmj.com/content/12/7/e008441.full
spellingShingle Akimichi Morita
Hiroshi Kato
Motoki Nakamura
Maki Yoshimitsu
Tetsuya Magara
Katsuhiro Okuda
Keisuke Yokota
Shinji Kano
Blockade of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase induces immunogenic cell death and accelerates immunotherapy
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
title Blockade of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase induces immunogenic cell death and accelerates immunotherapy
title_full Blockade of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase induces immunogenic cell death and accelerates immunotherapy
title_fullStr Blockade of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase induces immunogenic cell death and accelerates immunotherapy
title_full_unstemmed Blockade of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase induces immunogenic cell death and accelerates immunotherapy
title_short Blockade of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase induces immunogenic cell death and accelerates immunotherapy
title_sort blockade of glucose 6 phosphate dehydrogenase induces immunogenic cell death and accelerates immunotherapy
url https://jitc.bmj.com/content/12/7/e008441.full
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