Targeting ribosomes reprograms the tumour microenvironment and augments cancer immunotherapy

Hyperactive ribosome biogenesis is a hallmark of tumours. Current ribosome-related studies are concentrated on cancer cells. Ribosomes can regulate both tumour and non-cancer cells within the tumour microenvironment, yet the immunomodulatory effects of cellular ribosome biogenesis blockade remain inadequately understood.

We performed ribosome-targeting therapy utilizing CX-5461, an effective and acknowledged selective inhibitor of ribosome biogenesis, in immunocompetent in vivo models and submitted for single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Additional large-scale human scRNA-seq data, in-house clinical samples and assays were used.

Ribosome inhibition elevated lymphoid cell cytotoxic granule secretion and macrophage pro-inflammation reprogramming. We uncovered unique immune cell subpopulations that are sensitive to ribosome biogenesis blockade and are associated with adverse clinical outcomes. Impressively, these cells regress during responsive immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) treatment, revealing that they are essential for immunotherapy efficacy. Moreover, targeting ribosomes induces immune checkpoint expression (such as Lag3) and significantly sensitizes tumours to anti-Lag3 immunotherapy, eliciting potent tumour regression and deeper anti-tumour immune responses.

These findings unravel previously unrecognized roles of cellular ribosome biogenesis in sustaining immunosuppressive non-cancer cells. Our work unveils that ribosome biogenesis blockade could reinstate immunosurveillance and provide novel strategies to enhance the ICB efficacy in patients with poor immunogenicity.