Receptor

Tumor microenvironment

Immunotherapy

Macrophage

Cancer immunotherapy

Biology

Chemokine

Infiltration (HVAC)

Cytotoxic T cell

Composite material

CXCL9

CD163

Chemistry

Materials science

In vitro

Immunology

T cell

Tumor-associated macrophage

Blockade

Immune checkpoint

CXCL10

Tumor cells

Cancer research

Biochemistry

Immune system

Nature Communications

Cancer response to immunotherapy depends on the infiltration of CD8 + T cells and the presence of tumor-associated macrophages within tumors. Still, little is known about the determinants of these factors. We show that LIF assumes a crucial role in the regulation of CD8 + T cell tumor infiltration, while promoting the presence of protumoral tumor-associated macrophages. We observe that the blockade of LIF in tumors expressing high levels of LIF decreases CD206, CD163 and CCL2 and induces CXCL9 expression in tumor-associated macrophages. The blockade of LIF releases the epigenetic silencing of CXCL9 triggering CD8 + T cell tumor infiltration. The combination of LIF neutralizing antibodies with the inhibition of the PD1 immune checkpoint promotes tumor regression, immunological memory and an increase in overall survival.

LIF regulates CXCL9 in tumor-associated macrophages and prevents CD8+ T cell tumor-infiltration impairing anti-PD1 therapy