Cited by 324Immune Cell Function and InteractionCancer Immunotherapy and BiomarkersImmune cells in cancer

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Tumor-Infiltrating NK Cells Reveals that Inhibition of Transcription Factor HIF-1α Unleashes NK Cell Activity

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Ni, Jing, Wang, Xi, Stojanovic, Ana, Zhang, Qin, Wincher, Marian, Bühler, Lea, Arnold, Annette, Correia, Margareta P. +5 more·2020·Immunity

Abstract

Enhancing immune cell functions in tumors remains a major challenge in cancer immunotherapy. Hypoxia is a common feature of solid tumors, and cells adapt by upregulating the transcription factor HIF-1α. Here, we defined the transcriptional landscape of mouse tumor-infiltrating natural killer (NK) cells by using single-cell RNA sequencing. Conditional deletion of Hif1a in NK cells resulted in reduced tumor growth, elevated expression of activation markers, effector molecules, and an enriched NF-κB pathway in tumor-infiltrating NK cells. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) from myeloid cells was required for NF-κB activation and the enhanced anti-tumor activity of Hif1a-/- NK cells. Extended culture with an HIF-1α inhibitor increased human NK cell responses. Low HIF1A expression was associated with high expression of IFNG in human tumor-infiltrating NK cells, and an enriched NK-IL18-IFNG signature in solid tumors correlated with increased overall patient survival. Thus, inhibition of HIF-1α unleashes NK cell anti-tumor activity and could be exploited for cancer therapy.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.immuni.2020.05.001

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Authors
Ni, J., Wang, X., Stojanovic, A., Zhang, Q., Wincher, M., Bühler, L., Arnold, A., Correia, M. P., Winkler, M., Koch, P.-S., Sexl, V., Höfer, T., & Cerwenka, A.
Affiliations
  • German Cancer Research Center (DE)
  • Heidelberg University (DE)
  • University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (AT)
Corresponding author
Cerwenka, Adelheid
Venue
Immunity
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2020-06
Volume
52
Issue
6
Pages
1075-1087.e8
ISSN
1074-7613 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3026991696
Cited by
324
References
59
Citations by year
2026: 46 · 2025: 56 · 2024: 54 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 68 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 8
FWCI
14.62
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Immunity (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • European Commission (H2020-MSCA-MC-ITN-765104-MATURE-NK)
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (B10N, TP07, CE 140/2-2, SFB1366, TRR179, 259332240-RTG2099, P9, SFB-TRR156, RTG 2099, 394046768-SFB 1366)
  • Universitätsmedizin Mannheim
  • Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum
  • Deutsche Krebshilfe (111455, 70112233)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune Cell Function and Interaction
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune cells in cancer
Keywords
tumor-infiltrating NK cells, HIF-1α, hypoxia, NF-κB signaling, IL-18, interferon-gamma, HIF-1α inhibition, antitumor immunity, cancer immunotherapy, transcriptional landscape, tumor microenvironment
MeSH terms
Animals, Cytotoxicity, Immunologic, Humans, Killer Cells, Natural, Lymphocyte Activation, Neoplasms, Prognosis, Biomarkers, Cytokines, Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating, Mice, Knockout, Computational Biology, Myeloid Cells, Mice, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit, Single-Cell Analysis, High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing, Tumor Microenvironment, Transcriptome

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