Targeting branched N-glycans and fucosylation sensitizes ovarian tumors to immune checkpoint blockade

Targeting branched N-glycans and fucosylation sensitizes ovarian tumors to immune checkpoint blockade

02 April 2024 | Hao Nie, Pratima Saini, Taito Miyamoto, Liping Liao, Rafal J. Zielinski, Heng Liu, Wei Zhou, Chen Wang, Brennah Murphy, Martina Towers, Tyler Yang, Yuan Qi, Toshitha Kannan, Andrew Kossenkov, Hiroaki Tateño, Daniel T. Claiborne, Nan Zhang, Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen & Rugang Zhang
A study reveals that targeting branched N-glycans and fucosylation can enhance the sensitivity of HR-proficient ovarian cancers (EOCs) to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). The research shows that inhibiting branched N-glycans in HR-proficient EOCs increases their sensitivity to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy, while fucosylation inhibition affects EOCs regardless of HR status. Mechanistically, BRCA1/2 promote the expression of MGA15, an enzyme involved in branched N-glycan synthesis. These glycans enhance PD-L1 binding to PD-1 on CD8+ T cells, promoting immune evasion. Inhibiting branched N-glycans using 2-Deoxy-D-glucose sensitizes HR-proficient EOCs to anti-PD-L1 therapy. The study also highlights that HR-proficient EOCs exhibit higher levels of branched N-glycans compared to HR-deficient ones. These findings suggest that targeting branched N-glycans could be a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome immune evasion in HR-proficient EOCs. The study underscores the importance of glycosylation in cancer immune evasion and provides insights into the potential of targeting glycan modifications to improve immunotherapy outcomes in ovarian cancer.A study reveals that targeting branched N-glycans and fucosylation can enhance the sensitivity of HR-proficient ovarian cancers (EOCs) to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). The research shows that inhibiting branched N-glycans in HR-proficient EOCs increases their sensitivity to anti-PD-L1 immunotherapy, while fucosylation inhibition affects EOCs regardless of HR status. Mechanistically, BRCA1/2 promote the expression of MGA15, an enzyme involved in branched N-glycan synthesis. These glycans enhance PD-L1 binding to PD-1 on CD8+ T cells, promoting immune evasion. Inhibiting branched N-glycans using 2-Deoxy-D-glucose sensitizes HR-proficient EOCs to anti-PD-L1 therapy. The study also highlights that HR-proficient EOCs exhibit higher levels of branched N-glycans compared to HR-deficient ones. These findings suggest that targeting branched N-glycans could be a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome immune evasion in HR-proficient EOCs. The study underscores the importance of glycosylation in cancer immune evasion and provides insights into the potential of targeting glycan modifications to improve immunotherapy outcomes in ovarian cancer.
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[slides and audio] Targeting branched N-glycans and fucosylation sensitizes ovarian tumors to immune checkpoint blockade