Macrophage PI3K? Drives Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Progression

Authors:
Kaneda MM, Cappello P, Nguyen AV, Ralainirina N, Hardamon CR, Foubert P, Schmid MC, Sun P, Mose E, Bouvet M, Lowy AM, Valasek MA, Sasik R, Novelli F, Hirsch E, Varner JA
In:
Source: Cancers
Publication Date: (2016)
Issue: 6(8): 870-885
Research Area:
Cancer Research/Cell Biology
Basic Research
Cells used in publication:
Macrophage, mouse
Species: mouse
Tissue Origin: bone marrow
Bone marrow, mouse
Species: mouse
Tissue Origin: bone marrow
Embryonic fibroblast, mouse (MEF)primary
Species: mouse
Tissue Origin: embryo
Mononuclear, bone marrow, mouse
Species: mouse
Tissue Origin: bone marrow
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease with a low 5-year survival rate, yet new immunotherapeutic modalities may offer hope for this and other intractable cancers. Here, we report that inhibitory targeting of PI3K?, a key macrophage lipid kinase, stimulates antitumor immune responses, leading to improved survival and responsiveness to standard-of-care chemotherapy in animal models of PDAC. PI3K? selectively drives immunosuppressive transcriptional programming in macrophages that inhibits adaptive immune responses and promotes tumor cell invasion and desmoplasia in PDAC. Blockade of PI3K? in PDAC-bearing mice reprograms tumor-associated macrophages to stimulate CD8(+) T-cell-mediated tumor suppression and to inhibit tumor cell invasion, metastasis, and desmoplasia. These data indicate the central role that macrophage PI3K? plays in PDAC progression and demonstrate that pharmacologic inhibition of PI3K? represents a new therapeutic modality for this devastating tumor type. SIGNIFICANCE: We report here that PI3K? regulates macrophage transcriptional programming, leading to T-cell suppression, desmoplasia, and metastasis in pancreas adenocarcinoma. Genetic or pharmacologic inhibition of PI3K? restores antitumor immune responses and improves responsiveness to standard-of-care chemotherapy. PI3K? represents a new therapeutic immune target for pancreas cancer. Cancer Discov; 6(8); 870-85. ©2016 AACR.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 803.