NOS Inhibition Modulates Immune Polarization and Improves Radiation-Induced Tumor Growth Delay

Abstract

Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) are important mediators of pro-growth signaling in tumor cells, as they regulate angiogenesis, immune response, and immune-mediated wound healing. Ionizing radiation (IR) is also an immune modulator and inducer of wound response. We hypothesized that radiation therapeutic efficacy could be improved by targeting NOS following tumor irradiation. Herein, we show enhanced radiation-induced (10 Gy) tumor growth delay in a syngeneic model (C3H) but not immunosuppressed (Nu/Nu) SCC tumor-bearing mice treated post-IR with the constitutive NOS inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). These results suggest a requirement of T cells for improved radiation tumor response. In support of this observation, tumor irradiation induced a rapid increase in the immunosuppressive Th2 cytokine IL-10, which was abated by post-IR administration of L-NAME. In vivo suppression of IL-10 using an anti-sense IL-10 morpholino also extended the tumor growth delay induced by radiation in a manner similar to L-NAME. Further examination of this mechanism in cultured Jurkat T cells revealed L-NAME suppression of IR-induced IL-10 expression, which reaccumulated in the presence of exogenous NO donor. In addition to L-NAME, the guanylyl cyclase inhibitors ODQ and TSP-1 also abated IR-induced IL-10 expression in Jurkat T cells and ANA-1 macrophages, which further suggests that the immunosuppressive effects involve eNOS. Moreover, cytotoxic Th1 cytokines, including IL-2, IL-12p40, and IFN-γ, as well as activated CD8+ T cells were elevated in tumors receiving post-IR L-NAME. Together, these results suggest that post-IR NOS inhibition improves radiation tumor response via Th1 immune polarization within the tumor microenvironment.

Retracted: MiR‐141‐3p Suppresses Tumor Growth and Metastasis in Papillary Thyroid Cancer via Targeting Yin Yang 1

“…Quantitative RT‐PCR (qRT‐PCR) was performed to quantify the expression level of miR‐141‐3p in tissues. The expression of YY1 was analyzed by automated capillary western blot (WES) as previously described (Ridnour et al, ).…”

CLIC1 Promotes the Progression of Gastric Cancer by Regulating the MAPK/AKT Pathways

“…The lymph node metastasis and metabolic status of the orthotopically transplanted tumors were evaluated using PET-CT. The protein content of the tumors was detected using WES assays [12, 13], and the primary antibodies were as follows: CLIC1(Abcam), GAPDH(Cell Signaling Technology), Bcl-2(Cell Signaling Technology), Bax(Abcam), ITGαv(Abcam), ITGα1(Abcam), ITGα3(Abcam), ITGβ1(Abcam), ERK(Cell Signaling Technology), p-ERK(Cell Signaling Technology),AKT(Abcam), p-AKT (Abcam),p38(Cell Signaling Technology) and p-p38(Cell Signaling Technology).…”

Nitric Oxide: The Forgotten Child of Tumor Metabolism

“…Several studies have demonstrated that suppressing NO production in tumors using NOS inhibitors can enhance antitumor immune response in animal models [19–21]. For example, a TLR7 agonist, Imiquimod, has been shown to be more effective in reducing tumor growth in lymphoma-bearing mice that do not express NOS2, as compared to wild-type mice [20, 22].…”