iScience (Jun 2022)

Neuropilin-1 cooperates with PD-1 in CD8+ T cells predicting outcomes in melanoma patients treated with anti-PD1

  • Julien Rossignol,
  • Zakia Belaid,
  • Guillemette Fouquet,
  • Flavia Guillem,
  • Rachel Rignault,
  • Pierre Milpied,
  • Amédée Renand,
  • Tereza Coman,
  • Maud D’Aveni,
  • Michael Dussiot,
  • Elia Colin,
  • Jonathan Levy,
  • Caroline Carvalho,
  • Nicolas Goudin,
  • Nicolas Cagnard,
  • Francine Côté,
  • Joel Babdor,
  • Kanit Bhukhai,
  • Laura Polivka,
  • Amélie E. Bigorgne,
  • Héloise Halse,
  • Aurélien Marabelle,
  • Séverine Mouraud,
  • Yves Lepelletier,
  • Thiago T. Maciel,
  • Marie-Thérèse Rubio,
  • Delphine Heron,
  • Caroline Robert,
  • Isabelle Girault,
  • Doris Lebeherec,
  • Jean-Yves Scoazec,
  • Ivan Moura,
  • Louise Condon,
  • Mirjana Weimershaus,
  • Franck Pages,
  • Jean Davoust,
  • David Gross,
  • Olivier Hermine

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 25, no. 6
p. 104353

Abstract

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Summary: Targeting immune checkpoints, such as Programmed cell Death 1 (PD1), has improved survival in cancer patients by restoring antitumor immune responses. Most patients, however, relapse or are refractory to immune checkpoint blocking therapies. Neuropilin-1 (NRP1) is a transmembrane glycoprotein required for nervous system and angiogenesis embryonic development, also expressed in immune cells. We hypothesized that NRP1 could be an immune checkpoint co-receptor modulating CD8+ T cells activity in the context of the antitumor immune response. Here, we show that NRP1 is recruited in the cytolytic synapse of PD1+CD8+ T cells, cooperates and enhances PD-1 activity. In mice, CD8+ T cells specific deletion of Nrp1 improves anti-PD1 antibody antitumor immune responses. Likewise, in human metastatic melanoma, the expression of NRP1 in tumor infiltrating CD8+ T cells predicts poor outcome of patients treated with anti-PD1. NRP1 is a promising target to overcome resistance to anti-PD1 therapies.

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