CTLA-4 blockade drives loss of Treg stability in glycolysis-low tumours

Limiting metabolic competition in the tumour microenvironment may increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy. Owing to its crucial role in the glucose metabolism of activated T cells, CD28 signalling has been proposed as a metabolic biosensor of T cells(1). By contrast, the engagement of CTLA-4 has been shown to downregulate T cell glycolysis(1). Here we investigate the effect of CTLA-4 blockade on the metabolic fitness of intra-tumour T cells in relation to the glycolytic capacity of tumour cells. We found that CTLA-4 blockade promotes metabolic fitness and the infiltration of immune cells, especially in glycolysis-low tumours. Accordingly, treatment with anti-CTLA-4 antibodies improved the therapeutic outcomes of mice bearing glycolysis-defective tumours. Notably, tumour-specific CD8(+) T cell responses correlated with phenotypic and functional destabilization of tumour-infiltrating regulatory T (T-reg) cells towards IFN gamma- and TNF-producing cells in glycolysis-defective tumours. By mimicking the highly and poorly glycolytic tumour microenvironments in vitro, we show that the effect of CTLA-4 blockade on the destabilization of T-reg cells is dependent on T-reg cell glycolysis and CD28 signalling. These findings indicate that decreasing tumour competition for glucose may facilitate the therapeutic activity of CTLA-4 blockade, thus supporting its combination with inhibitors of tumour glycolysis. Moreover, these results reveal a mechanism by which anti-CTLA-4 treatment interferes with T-reg cell function in the presence of glucose.

Automated summary

By blocking CTLA-4, metabolic fitness and immune cell infiltration in tumours, especially those with low glycolytic activity, can be enhanced. This improves therapeutic outcomes, particularly in tumours with defective glycolysis, by destabilizing T-reg cells and promoting the activity of tumour-specific CD8(+) T cells.