FGL2 promotes tumor progression in the CNS by suppressing CD103+ dendritic cell differentiation

Nat Commun. 2019 Jan 25;10(1):448. doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-08271-x.

Abstract

Few studies implicate immunoregulatory gene expression in tumor cells in arbitrating brain tumor progression. Here we show that fibrinogen-like protein 2 (FGL2) is highly expressed in glioma stem cells and primary glioblastoma (GBM) cells. FGL2 knockout in tumor cells did not affect tumor-cell proliferation in vitro or tumor progression in immunodeficient mice but completely impaired GBM progression in immune-competent mice. This impairment was reversed in mice with a defect in dendritic cells (DCs) or CD103+ DC differentiation in the brain and in tumor-draining lymph nodes. The presence of FGL2 in tumor cells inhibited granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-induced CD103+ DC differentiation by suppressing NF-κB, STAT1/5, and p38 activation. These findings are relevant to GBM patients because a low level of FGL2 expression with concurrent high GM-CSF expression is associated with higher CD8B expression and longer survival. These data provide a rationale for therapeutic inhibition of FGL2 in brain tumors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, CD / genetics*
  • Antigens, CD / immunology
  • Brain Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Brain Neoplasms / immunology
  • Brain Neoplasms / mortality
  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology*
  • Dendritic Cells / pathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Fibrinogen / genetics*
  • Fibrinogen / immunology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Glioblastoma / genetics*
  • Glioblastoma / immunology
  • Glioblastoma / mortality
  • Glioblastoma / pathology
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Integrin alpha Chains / genetics*
  • Integrin alpha Chains / immunology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • NF-kappa B / genetics
  • NF-kappa B / immunology
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / immunology
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology
  • Neuroglia / immunology
  • Neuroglia / pathology
  • STAT Transcription Factors / genetics
  • STAT Transcription Factors / immunology
  • Survival Analysis
  • Tumor Burden
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • FGL2 protein, human
  • Integrin alpha Chains
  • NF-kappa B
  • STAT Transcription Factors
  • alpha E integrins
  • Fibrinogen
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases