Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy (Apr 2024)

HIF-1α Mediates Immunosuppression and Chemoresistance in Colorectal Cancer by Inhibiting CXCL9, −10 and −11

  • Yixi Su,
  • Jiaqi Liu,
  • Yu Tian,
  • Haiyan Dong,
  • Mengchen Shi,
  • Jingdan Zhang,
  • Weiqian Li,
  • Qiang Huang,
  • Nanlin Xiang,
  • Chen Wang,
  • Jun Liu,
  • Lingyuan He,
  • Limei Hu,
  • Ann M. Haberman,
  • Huanliang Liu,
  • Xiangling Yang

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 173
p. 116427

Abstract

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Uncertainty exists regarding the mechanisms by which hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) control CD8+T-cell migration into tumor microenvironments. Here, we found that HIF-1α knockdown or overexpression resulted in increased or decreased CXCL9, −10, and −11 expression in vitro, respectively. Gene Set Variation Analysis revealed that elevated HIF-1α levels correlated with a poor prognosis, severe pathological stage, and an absence of CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. HIF-1α was inversely associated with pathways beneficial to anti-tumor immunotherapy and cytokine/chemokine function. In vivo, inhibiting HIF-1α or its upstream regulator BIRC2 significantly suppressed tumor growth and promoted CD8+ T-cell infiltration. CXCR3 neutralizing antibodies reversed these effects, implicating the involvement of CXCL9, −10, and −11/CXCR3 axis. The presence of HIF-1α weakened the upregulation of CXCL9, −10, and −11 by bleomycin and doxorubicin. Combining HIF-1α inhibition with bleomycin promoted CD8+ T-cell infiltration and tumor suppression in vivo. Moreover, doxorubicin could upregulate CXCL9, −10 and −11 by suppressing HIF-1α. Our findings highlight the potential of HIF-1α inhibition to improve CRC microenvironments and increase chemotherapy sensitivity.

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