AMPK promotes antitumor immunity by downregulating PD-1 in regulatory T cells via the HMGCR/p38 signaling pathway.

Pokhrel, Ram Hari; Acharya, Suman; Ahn, Jae-Hee; Gu, Ye; Pandit, Mahesh; Kim, Jong-Oh; Park, Yun-Yong; Kang, Ben; Ko, Hyun-Jeong; Chang, Jae-Hoon

Background: AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a metabolic sensor that maintains energy homeostasis. AMPK functions as a tumor suppressor in different cancers; however, its role in regulating antitumor immunity, particularly the function of regulatory T cells (Tregs), is poorly defined. Methods: AMPKα1fl/flFoxp3YFP-Cre, Foxp3YFP-Cre, Rag1−/−, and C57BL/6 J mice were used for our research. Flow cytometry and cell sorting, western blotting, immuno-precipitation, immuno-fluorescence, glycolysis assay, and qRT-PCR were used to investigate the role of AMPK in suppressing programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) expression and for mechanistic investigation. Results: The deletion of the AMPKα1 subunit in Tregs accelerates tumor growth by increasing the expression of PD-1. Metabolically, loss of AMPK in Tregs promotes glycolysis and the expression of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), a key enzyme of the mevalonate pathway. Mechanistically, AMPK activates the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) that phosphorylates glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), inhibiting the expression of PD-1 in Tregs. Conclusion: Our study identified an AMPK regulatory mechanism of PD-1 expression via the HMGCR/p38 MAPK/GSK3β signaling pathway. We propose that the AMPK activator can display synergic antitumor effect in murine tumor models, supporting their potential clinical use when combined with anti-PD-1 antibody, anti-CTLA-4 antibody, or a HMGCR inhibitor.

REGULATORY T cells; CELLULAR signal transduction; PROGRAMMED cell death 1 receptors; PROTEIN kinases; MITOGEN-activated protein kinases; HOMEOSTASIS; AMP-activated protein kinases

Molecular Cancer, 2021, Vol 20, Issue 1, p1

1476-4598

Academic Journal

10.1186/s12943-021-01420-9