PCK1 inhibits cGAS-STING activation by consumption of GTP to promote tumor immune evasion

Abstract

Hypoxia induces immunosuppressive phenotypes in tumor cells even in the presence of cytosolic DNA accumulation. The mechanisms by which tumor cells suppress hypoxia-induced cGAS-STING activation for immune evasion remain largely unclear. Here, we demonstrate that hypoxic stimulation induces JNK1/2-mediated S151 phosphorylation of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1), a rate-limiting enzyme in gluconeogenesis. This phosphorylation triggers the interaction between PCK1 and cGAS. The PCK1 associated with cGAS competitively consumes GTP, a substrate shared by both PCK1 and cGAS. Consequently, PCK1 inhibits GTP-dependent cGAS activation and subsequent STING-promoted immune cell infiltration and activation in the tumor microenvironment, leading to promoted tumor growth in mice. The blockade of PCK1 function, in combination with anti-PD-1 antibody treatment, exhibits an additive therapeutic effect on tumor growth. Additionally, PCK1 S151 phosphorylation is inversely correlated with cGAS-STING activation in human breast cancer specimens and patient survival. These findings reveal a novel regulation of cGAS-STING pathway and uncover the metabolic control of immune response in tumor cells.