Intratumoral stem-like CCR4+ regulatory T cells orchestrate the immunosuppressive microenvironment in HCC associated with hepatitis B

Abstract

Background & aims: Regulatory T cell (Treg) depletion increases antitumor immunity. However, severe autoimmunity can occur following systemic loss of Tregs, which could be avoided by selectively depleting intratumoral Tregs. Herein, we aimed to investigate the role of tumor-infiltrating CCR4⁺ Tregs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to provide a potential target strategy for immunotherapy.

Methods: CCR4⁺ Tregs were analyzed by flow cytometry in murine models and clinical samples. The function of tumor-infiltrating and induced CCR4⁺ Tregs was interrogated by genetic and epigenetic approaches. To block CCR4⁺ Treg chemotaxis, we developed an N-terminus recombinant protein of CCR4 (N-CCR4-Fc) as a neutralizing pseudo-receptor that effectively bound to its ligand CCL22. The efficacy of CCR4 antagonism as an immunotherapeutic agent was evaluated by tumor weights, growth kinetics and survival curves.

Results: CCR4⁺ Tregs were the predominant type of Tregs recruited to hepatitis B-associated HCC (HBV⁺ HCC), correlating with sorafenib resistance and HBV load titers. Compared with CCR4^- Tregs, CCR4⁺ Tregs exhibited increased IL-10 and IL-35 expression, and enhanced functionality in suppressing CD8⁺ T cells. CCR4⁺ Tregs also displayed PD-1⁺TCF1⁺ stem-like properties. ATAC-seq data revealed substantial chromatin remodeling between tumor-infiltrating Tregs (TIL-Tregs) and induced Tregs, suggesting that long-term chromatin reprogramming accounted for the acquisition of enhanced immunosuppressive stem-like specificity by CCR4⁺ TIL-Tregs. Treatment with a CCR4 antagonist or N-CCR4-Fc blocked intratumoral Treg accumulation, overcame sorafenib resistance, and sensitized tumors to PD-1 checkpoint blockade.

Conclusions: Intratumoral stem-like CCR4⁺ Tregs orchestrated immunosuppressive resource cells in the tumor microenvironment. CCR4 could be targeted to enhance antitumor immunity by specifically blocking infiltration of Tregs into the tumor microenvironment and inhibiting maintenance of the TIL-Treg pool.

Lay summary: Targeting regulatory T cells is a promising approach in cancer immunotherapy; however, severe autoimmunity can occur following systemic regulatory T cell loss. This could be avoided by selectively depleting intratumoral regulatory T cells. Herein, targeting intratumoral stem-like CCR4⁺ regulatory T cells helped to overcome sorafenib resistance and sensitize tumors to immune checkpoint blockade in mouse models of liver cancer. This approach could have wide clinical applicability.

Keywords: HBV-associated HCC; chromatin reprogramming; immunotherapy; resource immunosuppression; stem-like Treg.