TIGIT contributes to the regulation of 4-1BB and does not define NK cell dysfunction in glioblastoma

TIGIT is a receptor on human natural killer (NK) cells. Here, we report that TIGIT does not spontaneously induce inhibition of NK cells in glioblastoma (GBM), but rather acts as a decoy-like receptor, by usurping binding partners and regulating expression of NK activating ligands and receptors. Our data show that in GBM patients, one of the underpinnings of unresponsiveness to TIGIT blockade is that by targeting TIGIT, NK cells do not lose an inhibitory signal, but gains the potential for new interactions with other, shared, TIGIT ligands. Therefore, TIGIT does not define NK cell dysfunction in GBM. Further, in GBM, TIGIT+ NK cells are hyperfunctional. In addition, we discovered that 4-1BB correlates with TIGIT expression, the agonism of which contributes to TIGIT immunotherapy. Overall, our data suggest that in GBM, TIGIT acts as a regulator of a complex network, and provide new clues about its use as an immunotherapeutic target.

Automated summary

TIGIT functions as a regulator in glioblastoma (GBM) by controlling the expression of NK activating ligands and receptors, and interacting with shared TIGIT ligands rather than inhibiting NK cells directly. Moreover, TIGIT+ NK cells exhibit hyperfunction in GBM. The correlation between 4-1BB and TIGIT expression contributes to TIGIT immunotherapy in GBM.