Targeting adenosine enhances immunotherapy in MSS colorectal cancer with EGFRvIII mutation

Background Patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC) often display resistance to immunotherapy. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies have shown potential in enhancing immunotherapy, yet clinical benefits remain unfulfilled, which may relate to inadequate...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jing Wu, Yang Zhao, Min Shi, Yong Li, Yu Jiang, Fei Sun, Jianjun Peng, Jiao Wang, Qiong Huang, Na Huang, Yawen Wang, Yulu Shi, Xiaoxiang Rong, Wangjun Liao, Chunlin Wang, Fangzhen Yao, Chunting Zeng, Bishan Liang, Shaowei Li, Qijing Wu, Zhiqi Yao, Chunhui Gu, Yujing Tan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMJ Publishing Group 2025-02-01
Series:Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
Online Access:https://jitc.bmj.com/content/13/2/e010126.full
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850195564529975296
author Jing Wu
Yang Zhao
Min Shi
Yong Li
Yu Jiang
Fei Sun
Jianjun Peng
Jiao Wang
Qiong Huang
Na Huang
Yawen Wang
Yulu Shi
Xiaoxiang Rong
Wangjun Liao
Chunlin Wang
Fangzhen Yao
Chunting Zeng
Bishan Liang
Shaowei Li
Qijing Wu
Zhiqi Yao
Chunhui Gu
Yujing Tan
author_facet Jing Wu
Yang Zhao
Min Shi
Yong Li
Yu Jiang
Fei Sun
Jianjun Peng
Jiao Wang
Qiong Huang
Na Huang
Yawen Wang
Yulu Shi
Xiaoxiang Rong
Wangjun Liao
Chunlin Wang
Fangzhen Yao
Chunting Zeng
Bishan Liang
Shaowei Li
Qijing Wu
Zhiqi Yao
Chunhui Gu
Yujing Tan
author_sort Jing Wu
collection DOAJ
description Background Patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC) often display resistance to immunotherapy. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies have shown potential in enhancing immunotherapy, yet clinical benefits remain unfulfilled, which may relate to inadequate patient stratification.Methods Circulating tumor cells and tumor tissues were collected from multicenter cohorts of patients with CRC receiving cetuximab to analyze EGFR variant type III (EGFRvIII) expression and immune infiltration. Syngeneic mouse models of EGFRvIII CRC were used to investigate the combined efficacy of adenosine inhibition and antiprogrammed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1).Results EGFRvIII mutations are found in about 10% of MSS CRC and are associated with poor response to cetuximab therapy. EGFRvIII-mutated patients with CRC exhibit an adenosine-mediated immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) subtype. Combination therapy with adenosine inhibitors remodels the TME, reversing cetuximab resistance and enhancing anti-PD-1 efficacy in EGFRvIII CRC.Conclusions Our findings identified EGFRvIII-positive CRC as a distinct subtype characterized by adenosine-mediated immunosuppressive TME. Targeting adenosine significantly improved the efficacy of anti-PD-1 in MSS CRC.
format Article
id doaj-art-0ba2f503a1c540e4abf96333f0c88bac
institution OA Journals
issn 2051-1426
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher BMJ Publishing Group
record_format Article
series Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
spelling doaj-art-0ba2f503a1c540e4abf96333f0c88bac2025-08-20T02:13:44ZengBMJ Publishing GroupJournal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer2051-14262025-02-0113210.1136/jitc-2024-010126Targeting adenosine enhances immunotherapy in MSS colorectal cancer with EGFRvIII mutationJing Wu0Yang Zhao1Min Shi2Yong Li3Yu Jiang4Fei Sun5Jianjun Peng6Jiao Wang7Qiong Huang8Na Huang9Yawen Wang10Yulu Shi11Xiaoxiang Rong12Wangjun Liao13Chunlin Wang14Fangzhen Yao15Chunting Zeng16Bishan Liang17Shaowei Li18Qijing Wu19Zhiqi Yao20Chunhui Gu21Yujing Tan22Department of Oncology, The First People`s Hospital of Foshan, Foshan, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Experimental Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USADepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaCenter of Gastrointestinal Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Oncology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaDepartment of Radiation Oncology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, ChinaBackground Patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) colorectal cancer (CRC) often display resistance to immunotherapy. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies have shown potential in enhancing immunotherapy, yet clinical benefits remain unfulfilled, which may relate to inadequate patient stratification.Methods Circulating tumor cells and tumor tissues were collected from multicenter cohorts of patients with CRC receiving cetuximab to analyze EGFR variant type III (EGFRvIII) expression and immune infiltration. Syngeneic mouse models of EGFRvIII CRC were used to investigate the combined efficacy of adenosine inhibition and antiprogrammed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1).Results EGFRvIII mutations are found in about 10% of MSS CRC and are associated with poor response to cetuximab therapy. EGFRvIII-mutated patients with CRC exhibit an adenosine-mediated immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) subtype. Combination therapy with adenosine inhibitors remodels the TME, reversing cetuximab resistance and enhancing anti-PD-1 efficacy in EGFRvIII CRC.Conclusions Our findings identified EGFRvIII-positive CRC as a distinct subtype characterized by adenosine-mediated immunosuppressive TME. Targeting adenosine significantly improved the efficacy of anti-PD-1 in MSS CRC.https://jitc.bmj.com/content/13/2/e010126.full
spellingShingle Jing Wu
Yang Zhao
Min Shi
Yong Li
Yu Jiang
Fei Sun
Jianjun Peng
Jiao Wang
Qiong Huang
Na Huang
Yawen Wang
Yulu Shi
Xiaoxiang Rong
Wangjun Liao
Chunlin Wang
Fangzhen Yao
Chunting Zeng
Bishan Liang
Shaowei Li
Qijing Wu
Zhiqi Yao
Chunhui Gu
Yujing Tan
Targeting adenosine enhances immunotherapy in MSS colorectal cancer with EGFRvIII mutation
Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer
title Targeting adenosine enhances immunotherapy in MSS colorectal cancer with EGFRvIII mutation
title_full Targeting adenosine enhances immunotherapy in MSS colorectal cancer with EGFRvIII mutation
title_fullStr Targeting adenosine enhances immunotherapy in MSS colorectal cancer with EGFRvIII mutation
title_full_unstemmed Targeting adenosine enhances immunotherapy in MSS colorectal cancer with EGFRvIII mutation
title_short Targeting adenosine enhances immunotherapy in MSS colorectal cancer with EGFRvIII mutation
title_sort targeting adenosine enhances immunotherapy in mss colorectal cancer with egfrviii mutation
url https://jitc.bmj.com/content/13/2/e010126.full
work_keys_str_mv AT jingwu targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT yangzhao targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT minshi targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT yongli targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT yujiang targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT feisun targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT jianjunpeng targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT jiaowang targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT qionghuang targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT nahuang targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT yawenwang targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT yulushi targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT xiaoxiangrong targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT wangjunliao targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT chunlinwang targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT fangzhenyao targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT chuntingzeng targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT bishanliang targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT shaoweili targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT qijingwu targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT zhiqiyao targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT chunhuigu targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation
AT yujingtan targetingadenosineenhancesimmunotherapyinmsscolorectalcancerwithegfrviiimutation