The IL32/BAFF axis supports prosurvival dialogs in the lymphoma ecosystem and is disrupted by NIK inhibition

Haematologica. 2022 Dec 1;107(12):2905-2917. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2021.279800.

Abstract

Aggressive B-cell malignancies, such as mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), are microenvironment-dependent tumors and a better understanding of the dialogs occurring in lymphoma-protective ecosystems will provide new perspectives to increase treatment efficiency. To identify novel molecular regulations, we performed a transcriptomic analysis based on the comparison of circulating MCL cells (n=77) versus MCL lymph nodes (n=107) together with RNA sequencing of malignant (n=8) versus normal B-cell (n=6) samples. This integrated analysis led to the discovery of microenvironment-dependent and tumor-specific secretion of interleukin-32 beta (IL32β), whose expression was confirmed in situ within MCL lymph nodes by multiplex immunohistochemistry. Using ex vivo models of primary MCL cells (n=23), we demonstrated that, through the secretion of IL32β, the tumor was able to polarize monocytes into specific MCL-associated macrophages, which in turn favor tumor survival. We highlighted that while IL32β-stimulated macrophages secreted several protumoral factors, they supported tumor survival through a soluble dialog, mostly driven by BAFF. Finally, we demonstrated the efficacy of selective NIK/alternative-NFkB inhibition to counteract microenvironment-dependent induction of IL32β and BAFF-dependent survival of MCL cells. These data uncovered the IL32β/BAFF axis as a previously undescribed pathway involved in lymphoma-associated macrophage polarization and tumor survival, which could be counteracted through selective NIK inhibition.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • B-Cell Activating Factor* / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Humans
  • Interleukins* / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, Mantle-Cell* / pathology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • NF-kappaB-Inducing Kinase
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases* / metabolism
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • IL32 protein, human
  • Interleukins
  • NF-kappa B
  • TNFSF13B protein, human
  • B-Cell Activating Factor
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases