LSD1 inhibition sustains T cell invigoration with a durable response to PD-1 blockade

Dynamic changes in chromatin landscape affect CD8(+) T cell phenotype and function in chronic infections and cancer. Here the authors show that targeting the histone demethylase LSD1 increases the persistence of progenitor exhausted CD8(+) T cells, improving response to immune checkpoint blockade in preclinical cancer models. Exhausted CD8(+) T cells are key targets of immune checkpoint blockade therapy and their ineffective reinvigoration limits the durable benefit in some cancer patients. Here, we demonstrate that histone demethylase LSD1 acts to enforce an epigenetic program in progenitor exhausted CD8(+) T cells to antagonize the TCF1-mediated progenitor maintenance and to promote terminal differentiation. Consequently, genetic perturbation or small molecules targeting LSD1 increases the persistence of the progenitor exhausted CD8(+) T cells, which provide a sustained source for the proliferative conversion to numerically larger terminally exhausted T cells with tumor-killing cytotoxicity, thereby leading to effective and durable responses to anti-PD1 therapy. Collectively, our findings provide important insights into epigenetic mechanisms that regulate T cell exhaustion and have important implications for durable immunotherapy.

Automated summary

Targeting the histone demethylase LSD1 can increase the persistence of exhausted CD8(+) T cells in chronic infections and cancer, improving response to immune checkpoint blockade therapy. This strategy may alleviate T cell exhaustion and enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy.