Abstract 1511: MEK activation modulates immunosuppressive MDSCs and metabolic phenotypes in TNBC

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are highly heterogeneous and aggressive, with high mortality rates. Although TNBC is typically more responsive to chemotherapy than other breast cancer subtypes, many patients develop chemo-resistance. The molecular processes between tumor and stromal cells involved in developing chemo-resistance are under-explored. Here we report studies of paired TNBC patient-derived xenografts (PDX) established before and after chemo-resistance. Despite significant genetic similarities, the chemo-resistant PDX model harbored a rare constitutively-active KRASQ61R mutation which was not present in the chemo-naive PDX. Further analysis demonstrated that the chemo-resistant KRAS-mutant model exhibited altered gene expression changes including increased expression of CXCR2-ligands CXCL1 and CXCL2, which are responsible for recruiting immune cells to tumors. These expression patterns were largely inhibited in vivo by MEK inhibitor (MEKi) treatment. Moreover, in breast cancer cell lines, CXCL1, CXCL2, and granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (CSF2, stimulates granulocyte and macrophage differentiation from hematopoietic precursor cells, including immunosuppressive myeloid cells) transcripts were also downregulated by MEKi. Notably, chemo-resistant KRAS-mutant tumors harbored increased Gr1+ and Arginase-1+ cells, consistent with recruitment of immunosuppressive M2-like macrophages and/or myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), which was inhibited by MEKi. Further experiments demonstrate that CD45+CD11b+Ly6G+ MDSC accumulation in tumors can be inhibited by MEKi treatment alone, or by CXCR2 inhibition, suggesting that the effects of MEK inhibition on MDSC recruitment are CXCL1/2-dependent. Confirming the translational relevance of these findings, in >200 murine and >1000 human breast tumors, Ras/MAPK transcriptional activity correlated with myeloid-recruiting CXCL1/2 expression and negatively with T-cell recruiting chemokines (CXCL9/10/11), even in the absence of activating KRAS mutations. The association with Ras/MAPK activity was also confirmed using immunofluorescence to quantify MHC-II-low myeloid cells in 80 post-chemotherapy TNBC tumors. Importantly, MEKi and chemotherapy combination treatment reversed immunosuppressive cell accumulation and metabolic phenotypes exemplified by altered optical redox ratios (NAD(P)H/FAD) in the chemo-resistant KRAS mutant tumors, resulting in tumor growth suppression in mice. MEKi treatment also reduced redox ratios in 3D cultures of breast cancer cell lines further suggesting that MEK inhibition targets multiple oncogenic processes in breast cancer. These results suggest that Ras/MAPK pathway inhibitors may be effective in some breast cancer patients to reverse Ras/MAPK-driven tumor metabolism and immunosuppression, particularly in the setting of chemo-resistant disease. Citation Format: Derek A. Franklin, Joe T. Sharick, Paula I. Ericsson-Gonzalez, Violeta Sanchez, Phillip T. Dean, Susan R. Opalenik, Stefano Cairo, Jean-Gabriel Judde, Michael T. Lewis, Jenny C. Chang, Melinda E. Sanders, Rebecca S. Cook, Melissa C. Skala, Jennifer Bordeaux, Jehovana Orozco Bender, Christine Vaupel, Gary Geiss, Douglas Hinerfeld, Justin M. Balko. MEK activation modulates immunosuppressive MDSCs and metabolic phenotypes in TNBC [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1511.