Eradication of metastatic mouse cancers resistant to immune checkpoint blockade by suppression of myeloid-derived cells

Impressive responses have been observed in patients treated with checkpoint inhibitory anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) or anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) antibodies. However, immunotherapy against poorly immunogenic cancers remains a challenge. Here we report that treatment with both anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies was unable to eradicate large, modestly immunogenic CT26 tumors or metastatic 4T1 tumors. Cotreatment with epigenetic-modulating drugs and checkpoint inhibitors markedly improved treatment outcomes, curing more than 80% of the tumor-bearing mice. Functional studies revealed that the primary targets of the epigenetic modulators were myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). A PI3K inhibitor that reduced circulating MDSCs also eradicated 4T1 tumors in 80% of the mice when combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors. Thus, cancers resistant to immune checkpoint blockade can be cured by eliminating MDSCs.