Targeting NAD immunometabolism limits severe graft-versus-host disease and has potent antileukemic activity

Leukemia. 2020 Jul;34(7):1885-1897. doi: 10.1038/s41375-020-0709-0. Epub 2020 Jan 23.

Abstract

Acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and tumor relapse remain major complications after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Alloreactive T cells and cancer cells share a similar metabolic phenotype to meet the bioenergetic demands necessary for cellular proliferation and effector functions. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is an essential co-factor in energy metabolism and is constantly replenished by nicotinamide phosphoribosyl-transferase (Nampt), the rate-limiting enzyme in the NAD salvage pathway. Here we show, that Nampt blockage strongly ameliorates aGVHD and limits leukemic expansion. Nampt was highly elevated in serum of patients with gastrointestinal GVHD and was particularly abundant in human and mouse intestinal T cells. Therapeutic application of the Nampt small-molecule inhibitor, Fk866, strongly attenuated experimental GVHD and caused NAD depletion in T-cell subsets, which displayed differential susceptibility to NAD shortage. Fk866 robustly inhibited expansion of alloreactive but not memory T cells and promoted FoxP3-mediated lineage stability in regulatory T cells. Furthermore, Fk866 strongly reduced the tumor burden in mouse leukemia and graft-versus-leukemia models. Ex vivo studies using lymphocytes from GVHD patients demonstrated potent antiproliferative properties of Fk866, suggesting potential clinical utility. Thus, targeting NAD immunometabolism represents a novel approach to selectively inhibit alloreactive T cells during aGVHD with additional antileukemic efficacy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acrylamides / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cytokines / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Energy Metabolism
  • Female
  • Graft vs Host Disease / immunology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / metabolism
  • Graft vs Host Disease / pathology
  • Graft vs Host Disease / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Immunologic Memory / drug effects
  • Immunologic Memory / immunology*
  • Leukemia / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia / immunology
  • Leukemia / metabolism
  • Leukemia / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • NAD / metabolism*
  • Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Piperidines / pharmacology*
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / immunology*
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Acrylamides
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Cytokines
  • N-(4-(1-benzoylpiperidin-4-yl)butyl)-3-(pyridin-3-yl)acrylamide
  • Piperidines
  • NAD
  • Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase
  • nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human