TGFβ Signaling Intersects with CD103 Integrin Signaling to Promote T-Lymphocyte Accumulation and Antitumor Activity in the Lung Tumor Microenvironment

Abstract

Homing of CD8⁺ T lymphocytes to the tumor microenvironment is an important step for mounting a robust antitumor immune response. TGFβ is responsible for CD103 (α_Eβ₇) integrin induction in activated intraepithelial CD8⁺ T lymphocytes. However, the interplay between TGFβ and CD103 and their contribution to T-cell infiltration and antitumor activity remain unknown. Here, we used viable human lung tumor slices and autologous tumor antigen-specific T-lymphocyte clones to provide evidence that CD103 is directly involved in T-lymphocyte recruitment within epithelial tumor islets and intratumoral early T-cell signaling. Moreover, TGFβ enhanced CD103-dependent T-cell adhesion and signaling, whereas it inhibited leukocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1 (α_Lβ₂) integrin expression and LFA-1-mediated T-lymphocyte functions. Mechanistic investigations revealed that TGFβ bound to its receptors (TGFBR), which promoted the recruitment and phosphorylation of integrin-linked kinase (ILK) by TGFBR1. We further show that ILK interacted with the CD103 intracellular domain, resulting in protein kinase B (PKB)/AKT activation, thereby initiating integrin inside-out signaling. Collectively, our findings suggest that the abundance of TGFβ in the tumor microenvironment may in fact engage with integrin signaling pathways to promote T-lymphocyte antitumor functions, with potential implications for T-cell-based immunotherapies for cancer. Cancer Res; 76(7); 1757–69. ©2016 AACR.