The adaptive immune system is a major driver of selection for tumor suppressor gene inactivation

Science. 2021 Sep 17;373(6561):1327-1335. doi: 10.1126/science.abg5784. Epub 2021 Sep 16.

Abstract

During tumorigenesis, tumors must evolve to evade the immune system and do so by disrupting the genes involved in antigen processing and presentation or up-regulating inhibitory immune checkpoint genes. We performed in vivo CRISPR screens in syngeneic mouse tumor models to examine requirements for tumorigenesis both with and without adaptive immune selective pressure. In each tumor type tested, we found a marked enrichment for the loss of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) in the presence of an adaptive immune system relative to immunocompromised mice. Nearly one-third of TSGs showed preferential enrichment, often in a cancer- and tissue-specific manner. These results suggest that clonal selection of recurrent mutations found in cancer is driven largely by the tumor’s requirement to avoid the adaptive immune system.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • CRISPR-Cas Systems
  • Carcinogenesis*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chemokine CCL2 / metabolism
  • Female
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, G12-G13 / genetics
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, G12-G13 / metabolism
  • Gene Silencing*
  • Genes, Tumor Suppressor*
  • Humans
  • Immune Evasion* / genetics
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / genetics
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / immunology
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, SCID
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / genetics*
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / immunology*
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / pathology
  • Selection, Genetic
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • Ccl2 protein, mouse
  • Chemokine CCL2
  • GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, G12-G13