Using mouse liver cancer models based on somatic genome editing to predict immune checkpoint inhibitor responses

Background & Aims: Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are the only two classes of FDA -approved drugs for individuals with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While TKIs confer only modest survival benefits, ICIs have been associated with remarkable outcomes but only in the minority of patients who respond. Understanding the mechanisms that determine the efficacy of ICIs in HCC will help to stratify patients likely to respond to ICIs. This study aims to elucidate how genetic composition and specific oncogenic pathways regulate the immune composition of HCC, which directly affects response to ICIs.Methods: A collection of mouse HCCs with genotypes that closely simulate the genetic composition found in human HCCs were established using genome-editing approaches involving the delivery of transposon and CRISPR-Cas9 systems by hydrodynamic tail vein injection. Mouse HCC tumors were analyzed by RNA-sequencing while tumor-infiltrating T cells were analyzed by flow cytometry and single-cell RNA-sequencing.Results: Based on the CD8+ T cell-infiltration level, we characterized tumors with different genotypes into cold and hot tumors. Anti-PD-1 treatment had no effect in cold tumors but was greatly effective in hot tumors. As proof-of-concept, a cold tumor (Trp53KO/MYCOE) and a hot tumor (Keap1KO/MYCOE) were further characterized. Tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells from Keap1KO/ MYCOE HCCs expressed higher levels of proinflammatory chemokines and exhibited enrichment of a progenitor exhausted CD8+ T-cell phenotype compared to those in Trp53KO/MYCOE HCCs. The TKI sorafenib sensitized Trp53KO/MYCOE HCCs to anti-PD -1 treatment. Conclusion: Single anti-PD-1 treatment appears to be effective in HCCs with genetic mutations driving hot tumors, while combined anti-PD-1 and sorafenib treatment may be more appropriate in HCCs with genetic mutations driving cold tumors.& COPY; 2022 European Association for the Study of the Liver. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study aims to investigate how genetic composition and specific oncogenic pathways regulate the immune composition of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and affect the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). By establishing mouse models with genetic genotypes similar to human HCCs using genome-editing techniques, the researchers found that "hot tumors" driven by genetic mutations responded well to anti-PD-1 treatment, while "cold tumors" did not. In addition, they discovered that the TKI sorafenib can enhance the sensitivity of "cold tumors" caused by certain genetic mutations to anti-PD-1 treatment.