Breaking oncometabolites dynamics for next-generation dendritic cells tumor immunotherapy

Introduction

Owing to an increased appreciation of the potential for immunotherapy in neoplasia, much attention has been focusing on a greater understanding of the immune, bidirectional intricacies involving the Tumor MicroEnvironment (TME). Recent work has demonstrated that TME elicits environmental changes, metabolic in nature, in the host’s immune cells, that dampen their ability to react against tumors.

Problem Statement

Manipulating the biology of oncometabolites can strengthen an antitumor immune response as well as circumvent therapy resistance. Here I propose innovative modalities to tackle this problem.

Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR)

The Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR), best known as the receptor for dioxins, has recently been shown to be one "central node" for communication between host's cells and its ligands, disparate as the nature and source. I have recently found that selective AhR deletion in a subset of antigen presenting cells triggers the rejection of an otherwise progressive fibrosarcoma tumor in vivo.

Hypothesis

I thus hypothesize that AhR, expressed in orchestrators of immune responsiveness, represents a key sensor of TME composition, influencing the outcome of an immune reaction against tumors.

Objectives

The main objective of this project is to:

1. Identify AhR-activating metabolites in TME.
2. Disclose their impact on tumor rejection or progression.

Methodology

In parallel, I aim at developing novel advanced strategies, with a high degree of translatability to human cells, to specifically inhibit AhR or AhR-dependent programs in selected APCs. I will combine state-of-the-art technology with new and powerful technologies, including:

• Advanced single-cell analysis
• Promoter gene-editing approaches
• Computational chemistry

Potential Impact

The potential of such a project is very high, because such metabolites may be predictors of immune activation or suppression in TME, and the downstream targets of those immunosuppressive oncometabolites may represent druggable targets to inhibit tumor escape mechanisms.