Activation of the viral sensor oligoadenylate synthetase 2 (Oas2) prevents pregnancy-driven mammary cancer metastases

Background: The interferon response can influence the primary and metastatic activity of breast cancers and can interact with checkpoint immunotherapy to modulate its effects. Using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea mutagenesis, we found a mouse with an activating mutation in oligoadenylate synthetase 2 (Oas2), a sensor of viral double stranded RNA, that resulted in an interferon response and prevented lactation in otherwise healthy mice.

Methods: To determine if sole activation of Oas2 could alter the course of mammary cancer, we combined the Oas2 mutation with the MMTV-PyMT oncogene model of breast cancer and examined disease progression and the effects of checkpoint immunotherapy using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis with immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry.

Results: Oas2 mutation prevented pregnancy from increasing metastases to lung. Checkpoint immunotherapy with antibodies against programmed death-ligand 1 was more effective when the Oas2 mutation was present.

Conclusions: These data establish OAS2 as a therapeutic target for agents designed to reduce metastases and increase the effectiveness of checkpoint immunotherapy.