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Abstract Type I interferons have been well recognized for their roles in various types of immune cells during tumor immunotherapy. However, their direct effects on tumor cells are less understood. Oxidative phosphorylation is typically latent in tumor cells. Whether oxidative phosphorylation can be targeted for immunotherapy remains unclear. Here, we find that tumor cell responsiveness to type I, but not type II interferons, is essential for CD47-SIRPα blockade immunotherapy in female mice. Mechanistically, type I interferons directly reprogram tumor cell metabolism by activating oxidative phosphorylation for ATP production in an ISG15-dependent manner. ATP extracellular release is also promoted by type I interferons due to enhanced secretory autophagy. Functionally, tumor cells with genetic deficiency in oxidative phosphorylation or autophagy are resistant to CD47-SIRPα blockade. ATP released upon CD47-SIRPα blockade is required for antitumor T cell response induction via P2X7 receptor-mediated dendritic cell activation. Based on this mechanism, combinations with inhibitors of ATP-degrading ectoenzymes, CD39 and CD73, are designed and show synergistic antitumor effects with CD47-SIRPα blockade. Together, these data reveal an important role of type I interferons on tumor cell metabolic reprograming for tumor immunotherapy and provide rational strategies harnessing this mechanism for enhanced efficacy of CD47-SIRPα blockade.
Zhou et al. (Tue,) studied this question.