Calreticulin exposure dictates the immunogenicity of cancer cell death

Nat Med. 2007 Jan;13(1):54-61. doi: 10.1038/nm1523. Epub 2006 Dec 24.

Abstract

Anthracyclin-treated tumor cells are particularly effective in eliciting an anticancer immune response, whereas other DNA-damaging agents such as etoposide and mitomycin C do not induce immunogenic cell death. Here we show that anthracyclins induce the rapid, preapoptotic translocation of calreticulin (CRT) to the cell surface. Blockade or knockdown of CRT suppressed the phagocytosis of anthracyclin-treated tumor cells by dendritic cells and abolished their immunogenicity in mice. The anthracyclin-induced CRT translocation was mimicked by inhibition of the protein phosphatase 1/GADD34 complex. Administration of recombinant CRT or inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1/GADD34 restored the immunogenicity of cell death elicited by etoposide and mitomycin C, and enhanced their antitumor effects in vivo. These data identify CRT as a key feature determining anticancer immune responses and delineate a possible strategy for immunogenic chemotherapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anthracyclines / pharmacology
  • Anthracyclines / therapeutic use
  • Antigens, Differentiation / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis / immunology*
  • Calreticulin / genetics
  • Calreticulin / immunology*
  • Calreticulin / metabolism
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Membrane / drug effects
  • Cell Membrane / immunology
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Colonic Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Dendritic Cells / immunology
  • Electrophoresis, Gel, Two-Dimensional
  • Etoposide / pharmacology
  • Etoposide / therapeutic use
  • Immunoblotting
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mitomycin / pharmacology
  • Mitomycin / therapeutic use
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / immunology
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Phagocytosis / immunology
  • Protein Phosphatase 1
  • Protein Transport / drug effects
  • RNA Interference
  • Recombinant Proteins / pharmacology

Substances

  • Anthracyclines
  • Antigens, Differentiation
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Calreticulin
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Mitomycin
  • Etoposide
  • Ppp1r15a protein, mouse
  • Protein Phosphatase 1