Glutamine metabolism in tumor microenvironments critically regulates anti-tumor immunity. Using glutamine-antagonist prodrug JHU083, we report potent tumor growth inhibition in urologic tumors by JHU083-reprogrammed tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and tumor-infiltrating monocytes (TIMs). We show JHU083-mediated glutamine antagonism in tumor microenvironments induces TNF, pro-inflammatory, and mTORC1 signaling in intratumoral TAM clusters. JHU083-reprogrammed TAMs also exhibit increased tumor cell phagocytosis and diminished pro-angiogenic capacities. In vivo inhibition of TAM glutamine consumption resulted in increased glycolysis, a broken TCA cycle, and purine metabolism disruption. Although the anti-tumor effect of glutamine antagonism on tumor-infiltrating T cells was moderate, JHU083 promoted a stem cell-like phenotype in CD8+ T cells and decreased Treg abundance. Finally, JHU083 caused a ubiquitous shutdown in glutamine utilizing metabolic pathways in tumor cells, leading to reduced HIF-1alpha, c-MYC phosphorylation, and induction of tumor cell apoptosis, all key anti-tumor features.
Cancer immunology research. 2024 May 03 [Epub ahead of print]
Monali Praharaj, Fan Shen, Alex J Lee, Liang Zhao, Thomas R Nirschl, Debebe Theodros, Alok K Singh, Xiaoxu Wang, Kenneth M Adusei, Kara A Lombardo, Raekwon A Williams, Laura A Sena, Elizabeth A Thompson, Ada Tam, Srinivasan Yegnasubramanian, Edward J Pearce, Robert D Leone, Jesse Alt, Rana Rais, Barbara S Slusher, Drew M Pardoll, Jonathan D Powell, Jelani C Zarif
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States., Complete Omics (United States), Baltimore, MD, United States., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Balitmore, MD, United States., Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, United States., Johns Hopkins University, United States., Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States., Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore, United States., Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States., Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States., Calico Life Sciences LLC, South San Francisco, United States.