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MYC-driven synthesis of Siglec ligands is a glycoimmune checkpoint
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

MYC-driven synthesis of Siglec ligands is a glycoimmune checkpoint

Benjamin A H Smith, Anja Deutzmann, Kristina M Correa, Corleone S Delaveris, Renumathy Dhanasekaran, Christopher G Dove, Delaney K Sullivan, Simon Wisnovsky, Jessica C Stark, John V Pluvinage, …
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS, Vol.120(11), e2215376120
03/14/2023
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2215376120
PMCID: PMC10089186
PMID: 36897988
url
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2215376120View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

The Siglecs (sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectins) are glycoimmune checkpoint receptors that suppress immune cell activation upon engagement of cognate sialoglycan ligands. The cellular drivers underlying Siglec ligand production on cancer cells are poorly understood. We find the oncogene causally regulates Siglec ligand production to enable tumor immune evasion. A combination of glycomics and RNA-sequencing of mouse tumors revealed the oncogene controls expression of the sialyltransferase and induces a glycan known as disialyl-T. Using in vivo models and primary human leukemias, we find that disialyl-T functions as a "don't eat me" signal by engaging macrophage Siglec-E in mice or the human ortholog Siglec-7, thereby preventing cancer cell clearance. Combined high expression of and identifies patients with high-risk cancers and reduced tumor myeloid infiltration. MYC therefore regulates glycosylation to enable tumor immune evasion. We conclude that disialyl-T is a glycoimmune checkpoint ligand. Thus, disialyl-T is a candidate for antibody-based checkpoint blockade, and the disialyl-T synthase ST6GALNAC4 is a potential enzyme target for small molecule-mediated immune therapy.
Ligands Animals Antigens, CD - metabolism Humans Macrophages - metabolism Mice Neoplasms - metabolism Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc - metabolism Sialic Acid Binding Immunoglobulin-like Lectins - metabolism

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