In Vivo Labeling Resolves Distinct Temporal, Spatial, and Functional Properties of Tumor Macrophages and Identifies Subset-Specific Effects of PD-L1 Blockade.

Lee CYC., Dean I., Richoz N., Li Z., Kennedy BC., Vettore LA., Samarakoon Y., Gilroy KL., Hasegawa T., Carlesso G., Hammond SA., Dovedi SJ., Sansom OJ., Tuong ZK., Halim TYF., Withers DR., Clatworthy MR.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are a universal feature of cancers but variably influence outcomes and treatment responses. In this study, we used a photoconvertible mouse to distinguish newly entering, monocyte-derived TAMs (mdTAM) that were enriched at the tumor core from resident-like TAMs that localized with fibroblasts at the tumor-normal interface. The mdTAM pool was highly dynamic and continually replenished by circulating monocytes. Upon tumor entry, these monocytes differentiated down two divergent fate trajectories distinguished by the expression of MHC class II. MHC-II+ mdTAMs were functionally distinct from MHC-II- mdTAMs, demonstrating increased capacity for endocytosis and Fc-gamma receptor-mediated phagocytosis, as well as proinflammatory cytokine production. Both mdTAM subsets showed reduced expression of inflammatory transcripts and increased expression of PD-L1 with increasing tumor dwell time. Treatment with anti-PD-L1 skewed mdTAM differentiation toward the MHC-II+ fate and attenuated the anti-inflammatory effects of the tumor environment. Anti-PD-L1 enhanced mdTAM-CD4+ T cell interactions, establishing an IFNγ-CXCL9/10-dependent positive feedback loop. Altogether, these data resolve distinct temporal, spatial, and functional properties of TAMs and provide evidence of subset-specific effects of PD-L1 blockade.

DOI

10.1158/2326-6066.cir-24-1233

Type

Journal article

Publication Date

2025-09-01T00:00:00+00:00

Volume

13

Pages

1453 - 1470

Total pages

17

Addresses

Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.

Keywords

Monocytes, Macrophages, Animals, Mice, Inbred C57BL, Humans, Mice, Cell Differentiation, Tumor Microenvironment, B7-H1 Antigen, Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, Tumor-Associated Macrophages

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