PTGES/PGE2 signaling links immunosuppression and lung metastasis in Gprc5a-knockout mouse model

Abstract

Chronic inflammation has been linked to promotion of tumorigenesis and metastasis in lung. However, due to lack of a relevant animal model for characterization, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Lung tumor suppressor gene Gprc5a-knockout (ko) mice are susceptible to lung inflammation, tumorigenesis and metastasis, which resembles the pathological features in human patients. Here, we showed that PTGES/PGE₂ signaling was highly associated with lung tumorigenesis and metastasis in Gprc5a-ko mice. Interestingly, Ptges-knockout in mouse lung tumor cells, although reduced their stemness and EMT-like features, still formed tumors and lung metastasis in immune-deficient nude mice, but not in immune-competent mice. This suggests that the major role of PTGES/PGE₂ signaling in tumorigenicity and lung metastasis is through immunosuppression. Mechanistically, PTGES/PGE₂ signaling intrinsically endows tumor cells resistant to T-cell cytotoxicity, and induces cytokines extrinsically for MDSC recruitment, which is crucial for suppression of T-cell immunity. Importantly, targeting PGE₂ signaling in Gprc5a-ko mice by PTGES inhibitor suppressed MDSC recruitment, restored T cells, and significantly repressed lung metastasis. Thus, PTGES/PGE₂ signaling links immunosuppression and metastasis in an inflammatory lung microenvironment of Gprc5a-ko mouse model.