PD-L1 抗体通过阻断免疫检查点增强β-葡聚糖在黑色素瘤模型中的抗肿瘤效果

In the tumor microenvironment (TME), one of the major functions of tumor-recruited CD11b + cells are the suppression of the T-cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response. β-glucan could convert the phenotype of tumor-recruited CD11b + cells from the suppressive to the promotive, and enhanced their anti-tumor effects.

However, β-glucan could enhance the PD-1/PD-L1 expression on CD11b + cells, while PD-1 could inhibit macrophage phagocytosis and PD-L1 could induce a co-inhibitory signal in T-cells and lead to T-cell apoptosis and anergy. These protumor effects may be reversed by PD-1/PD-L1 block therapy. In the present study, we focused on the efficacy of β-glucan anti-tumor therapy combined with anti-PD-L1 mAb treatment, and the mechanism of their synergistic effects could be fully verified.

We verified the effect of β-glucan (i. e. , inflammatory cytokine secretion of TNF-α, IL-12, IL-6, IL-1β and the expression of immune checkpoint PD-1/PD-L1) in naïve mouse peritoneal exudate CD11b + cells. In our mouse melanoma model, treatment with a PD-L1 blocking antibody with β-glucan synergized tumor regression.

After treatment with β-glucan and anti-PD-L1 mAb antibody, tumor infiltrating leukocyte (TILs) not only showed a competent T-cell function (CD107a, perforin, IL-2, IFN-γ and Ki67) and CTL population, but also showed enhanced tumor-recruited CD11b + cell activity (IL-12, IL-6, IL-1β and PD-1). This effect was also verified in the peritoneal exudate CD11b + cells of tumor-bearing mice. PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy enhanced the β-glucan antitumor effects via the blockade of tumor-recruited CD11b + cell immune checkpoints in the melanoma model.