Scientific article
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English

Lymphatic-derived oxysterols promote anti-tumor immunity and response to immunotherapy in melanoma

Published inNature communications, vol. 16, no. 1, 1217
Publication date2025-01-31
First online date2025-01-31
Abstract

In melanoma, lymphangiogenesis correlates with metastasis and poor prognosis and promotes immunosuppression. However, it also potentiates immunotherapy by supporting immune cell trafficking. We show in a lymphangiogenic murine melanoma that lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) upregulate the enzyme Ch25h, which catalyzes the formation of 25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) from cholesterol and plays important roles in lipid metabolism, gene regulation, and immune activation. We identify a role for LECs as a source of extracellular 25-HC in tumors inhibiting PPAR-γ in intra-tumoral macrophages and monocytes, preventing their immunosuppressive function and instead promoting their conversion into proinflammatory myeloid cells that support effector T cell functions. In human melanoma, LECs also upregulate Ch25h, and its expression correlates with the lymphatic vessel signature, infiltration of pro-inflammatory macrophages, better patient survival, and better response to immunotherapy. We identify here in mechanistic detail an important LEC function that supports anti-tumor immunity, which can be therapeutically exploited in combination with immunotherapy.

Keywords
  • Animals
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods
  • Mice
  • Melanoma / immunology
  • Melanoma / therapy
  • Melanoma / pathology
  • Melanoma / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Endothelial Cells / immunology
  • Hydroxycholesterols / metabolism
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Steroid Hydroxylases / metabolism
  • Steroid Hydroxylases / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Lymphatic Vessels / metabolism
  • Lymphatic Vessels / immunology
  • Oxysterols / metabolism
  • Oxysterols / immunology
  • Female
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Lymphangiogenesis / immunology
Citation (ISO format)
SUN, Mengzhu et al. Lymphatic-derived oxysterols promote anti-tumor immunity and response to immunotherapy in melanoma. In: Nature communications, 2025, vol. 16, n° 1, p. 1217. doi: 10.1038/s41467-025-55969-w
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Identifiers
Additional URL for this publicationhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-55969-w
Journal ISSN2041-1723
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Creation12/11/2025 10:08:23
First validation02/12/2025 08:28:42
Update04/02/2026 10:43:19
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