Bile acid synthesis impedes tumor-specific T cell responses during liver cancer

Science. 2025 Jan 10;387(6730):192-201. doi: 10.1126/science.adl4100. Epub 2025 Jan 9.

Abstract

The metabolic landscape of cancer greatly influences antitumor immunity, yet it remains unclear how organ-specific metabolites in the tumor microenvironment influence immunosurveillance. We found that accumulation of primary conjugated and secondary bile acids (BAs) are metabolic features of human hepatocellular carcinoma and experimental liver cancer models. Inhibiting conjugated BA synthesis in hepatocytes through deletion of the BA-conjugating enzyme bile acid-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase (BAAT) enhanced tumor-specific T cell responses, reduced tumor growth, and sensitized tumors to anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) immunotherapy. Furthermore, different BAs regulated CD8+ T cells differently; primary BAs induced oxidative stress, whereas the secondary BA lithocholic acid inhibited T cell function through endoplasmic reticulum stress, which was countered by ursodeoxycholic acid. We demonstrate that modifying BA synthesis or dietary intake of ursodeoxycholic acid could improve tumor immunotherapy in liver cancer model systems.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Acyltransferases
  • Animals
  • Bile Acids and Salts* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Bile Acids and Salts* / biosynthesis
  • Bile Acids and Salts* / metabolism
  • CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes* / immunology
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress*
  • Hepatocytes / immunology
  • Hepatocytes / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors* / therapeutic use
  • Immunotherapy
  • Lithocholic Acid / pharmacology
  • Liver Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Liver Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / metabolism
  • Tumor Microenvironment
  • Ursodeoxycholic Acid* / administration & dosage
  • Ursodeoxycholic Acid* / metabolism
  • Ursodeoxycholic Acid* / pharmacology

Substances

  • Acyltransferases
  • Bile Acids and Salts
  • Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
  • Lithocholic Acid
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
  • Ursodeoxycholic Acid