NK cell–mediated cytotoxicity contributes to tumor control by a cytostatic drug combination

M Ruscetti, J Leibold, MJ Bott, M Fennell, A Kulick… - Science, 2018 - science.org
M Ruscetti, J Leibold, MJ Bott, M Fennell, A Kulick, NR Salgado, CC Chen, Y Ho
Science, 2018science.org
Molecularly targeted therapies aim to obstruct cell autonomous programs required for tumor
growth. We show that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and cyclin-dependent
kinase 4/6 inhibitors act in combination to suppress the proliferation of KRAS-mutant lung
cancer cells while simultaneously provoking a natural killer (NK) cell surveillance program
leading to tumor cell death. The drug combination, but neither agent alone, promotes
retinoblastoma (RB) protein-mediated cellular senescence and activation of the …
Molecularly targeted therapies aim to obstruct cell autonomous programs required for tumor growth. We show that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 inhibitors act in combination to suppress the proliferation of KRAS-mutant lung cancer cells while simultaneously provoking a natural killer (NK) cell surveillance program leading to tumor cell death. The drug combination, but neither agent alone, promotes retinoblastoma (RB) protein-mediated cellular senescence and activation of the immunomodulatory senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). SASP components tumor necrosis factor–α and intercellular adhesion molecule–1 are required for NK cell surveillance of drug-treated tumor cells, which contributes to tumor regressions and prolonged survival in a KRAS-mutant lung cancer mouse model. Therefore, molecularly targeted agents capable of inducing senescence can produce tumor control through non–cell autonomous mechanisms involving NK cell surveillance.
AAAS