An immunosuppressive vascular niche drives macrophage polarization and immunotherapy resistance in glioblastoma

Sci Adv. 2024 Mar;10(9):eadj4678. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adj4678. Epub 2024 Feb 28.

Abstract

Cancer immunity is subjected to spatiotemporal regulation by leukocyte interaction with neoplastic and stromal cells, contributing to immune evasion and immunotherapy resistance. Here, we identify a distinct mesenchymal-like population of endothelial cells (ECs) that form an immunosuppressive vascular niche in glioblastoma (GBM). We reveal a spatially restricted, Twist1/SATB1-mediated sequential transcriptional activation mechanism, through which tumor ECs produce osteopontin to promote immunosuppressive macrophage (Mφ) phenotypes. Genetic or pharmacological ablation of Twist1 reverses Mφ-mediated immunosuppression and enhances T cell infiltration and activation, leading to reduced GBM growth and extended mouse survival, and sensitizing tumor to chimeric antigen receptor T immunotherapy. Thus, these findings uncover a spatially restricted mechanism controlling tumor immunity and suggest that targeting endothelial Twist1 may offer attractive opportunities for optimizing cancer immunotherapy.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Endothelial Cells / pathology
  • Glioblastoma* / genetics
  • Immunosuppression Therapy
  • Macrophages
  • Mice