BIN1 reverses PD-L1-mediated immune escape by inactivating the c-MYC and EGFR/MAPK signaling pathways in non-small cell lung cancer

Oncogene. 2017 Nov 9;36(45):6235-6243. doi: 10.1038/onc.2017.217. Epub 2017 Jul 17.

Abstract

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common and malignant carcinoma worldwide, and the incidence and mortality are increasing rapidly. Immunotherapy targeting programmed death 1/programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) signaling has shown prominent clinical effects in treating NSCLC; however, a poor understanding of the associated regulating molecular mechanisms of PD-L1 has become one of the biggest obstacles for further improving efficacy. Bridging integrator-1 (BIN1) can regulate numerous cancer-related molecules to exert multiple tumor-suppressing effects by either interacting or not interacting with c-MYC. In the present study, we observed that there exists a negative correlation between the expression of PD-L1 and BIN1 in NSCLC tissues. The expression levels of BIN1 and PD-L1 were significantly related to the tumor, lymph node and metastasis grade (TNM) stage, invasion range and lymph node metastasis. Simultaneously, for NSCLC patients, the expression statuses of BIN1 and PD-L1 might be independent prognostic factors. Furthermore, the expression of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was positively associated with BIN1 expression and negatively related to PD-L1 expression in NSCLC tissues. Importantly, we showed that PD-L1 was under the control of BIN1. In addition, the overexpression of BIN1 could inhibit the c-MYC and epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR)-dependent PD-L1 expression and reverse the suppressive immuno-microenvironment in vivo. Taken together, our findings indicated that BIN1 restoration in NSCLC could reverse PD-L1-mediated immune escape by inactivating the c-MYC and EGFR/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / immunology*
  • Animals
  • B7-H1 Antigen / immunology*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / enzymology
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / immunology*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • ErbB Receptors / immunology*
  • Genes, myc
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / enzymology
  • Lung Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / immunology
  • Nuclear Proteins / immunology*
  • Prognosis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / immunology*
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Escape
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins / immunology*

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • BIN1 protein, human
  • CD274 protein, human
  • MYC protein, human
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • Tumor Suppressor Proteins
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases