Resident Kupffer cells and neutrophils drive liver toxicity in cancer immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is revolutionizing cancer treatment but is often restricted by toxicities. What distinguishes adverse events from concomitant antitumor reactions is poorly understood. Here, using anti-CD40 treatment in mice as a model of TH1-promoting immunotherapy, we showed that liver macrophages promoted local immune-related adverse events. Mechanistically, tissue-resident Kupffer cells mediated liver toxicity by sensing lymphocyte-derived IFN-gamma and subsequently producing IL-12. Conversely, dendritic cells were dispensable for toxicity but drove tumor control. IL-12 and IFN-gamma were not toxic themselves but prompted a neutrophil response that determined the severity of tissue damage. We observed activation of similar inflammatory pathways after anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 immunotherapies in mice and humans. These findings implicated macrophages and neutrophils as mediators and effectors of aberrant inflammation in TH1-promoting immunotherapy, suggesting distinct mechanisms of toxicity and antitumor immunity.

Automated summary

This study highlights the role of liver macrophages and neutrophils in mediating and executing aberrant inflammation in TH1-promoting immunotherapy, with IL-12 and IFN-gamma playing crucial roles in regulating the severity of tissue damage.