1. Academic Validation
  2. Photoactivation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species-mediated Src and protein kinase C pathway enhances MHC class II-restricted T cell immunity to tumours

Photoactivation of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species-mediated Src and protein kinase C pathway enhances MHC class II-restricted T cell immunity to tumours

  • Cancer Lett. 2021 Dec 28;523:57-71. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.09.032.
Haocai Chang 1 Zhengzhi Zou 2 Jie Li 3 Qi Shen 4 Lei Liu 5 Xiaorui An 6 Sihua Yang 7 Da Xing 8
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China. Electronic address: changhc@scnu.edu.cn.
  • 2 MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China. Electronic address: zouzhengzhi@scnu.edu.cn.
  • 3 MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China. Electronic address: lijie9267@126.com.
  • 4 MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China. Electronic address: shenqi@scnu.edu.cn.
  • 5 Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China. Electronic address: liulei@scnu.edu.cn.
  • 6 MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China. Electronic address: 2020023096@m.scnu.edu.cn.
  • 7 MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China. Electronic address: yangsh@scnu.edu.cn.
  • 8 MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China. Electronic address: xingda@scnu.edu.cn.
Abstract

High fluence low-level laser (HF-LLL), a mitochondria-targeted tumour phototherapy, results in oxidative damage and Apoptosis of tumour cells, as well as damage to normal tissue. To circumvent this, the therapeutic effect of low fluence LLL (LFL), a non-invasive and drug-free therapeutic strategy, was identified for tumours and the underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated. We observed that LFL enhanced antigen-specific immune response of macrophages and dendritic cells by upregulating MHC class II, which was induced by mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-activated signalling, suppressing tumour growth in both CD11c-DTR and C57BL/6 mice. Mechanistically, LFL upregulated MHC class II in an MHC class II transactivator (CIITA)-dependent manner. LFL-activated protein kinase C (PKC) promoted the nuclear translocation of CIITA, as inhibition of PKC attenuated the DNA-binding efficiency of CIITA to MHC class II promoter. CIITA mRNA and protein expression also improved after LFL treatment, characterised by direct binding of Src and STAT1, and subsequent activation of STAT1. Notably, scavenging of ROS downregulated LFL-induced Src and PKC activation and antagonised the effects of LFL treatment. Thus, LFL treatment altered the adaptive immune response via the mitochondrial ROS-activated signalling pathway to control the progress of neoplastic disease.

Keywords

Antigen-presenting cells; Immunotherapy; Low-level laser; MHC class II; Reactive oxygen species.

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