Targeting DDR2 enhances tumor response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy

Sci Adv. 2019 Feb 20;5(2):eaav2437. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aav2437. eCollection 2019 Feb.

Abstract

While a fraction of cancer patients treated with anti-PD-1 show durable therapeutic responses, most remain unresponsive, highlighting the need to better understand and improve these therapies. Using an in vivo screening approach with a customized shRNA pooled library, we identified DDR2 as a leading target for the enhancement of response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Using isogenic in vivo murine models across five different tumor histologies-bladder, breast, colon, sarcoma, and melanoma-we show that DDR2 depletion increases sensitivity to anti-PD-1 treatment compared to monotherapy. Combination treatment of tumor-bearing mice with anti-PD-1 and dasatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of DDR2, led to tumor load reduction. RNA-seq and CyTOF analysis revealed higher CD8+ T cell populations in tumors with DDR2 depletion and those treated with dasatinib when either was combined with anti-PD-1 treatment. Our work provides strong scientific rationale for targeting DDR2 in combination with PD-1 inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dasatinib / pharmacology*
  • Discoidin Domain Receptor 2 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Discoidin Domain Receptor 2 / immunology
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Female
  • Immunity, Cellular*
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Mice
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / immunology
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / therapy*
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / immunology

Substances

  • Pdcd1 protein, mouse
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
  • Ddr2 protein, mouse
  • Discoidin Domain Receptor 2
  • Dasatinib