PI3Kβ controls immune evasion in PTEN-deficient breast tumours

Abstract

Loss of the PTEN tumor suppressor is one of the most common oncogenic drivers across all cancer types. PTEN is the major negative regulator of phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K) signaling. Notably, the PI3Kβ isoform has been shown to play an important role in PTEN-deficient tumors, but the mechanisms underlying the importance of PI3Kβ activity remain elusive. Using a syngeneic genetically-engineered mouse (GEM) model of invasive breast cancer driven by concurrent ablation of Pten and Trp53 (p53), we showed that genetic inactivation of PI3Kβ led to a robust anti-tumor immune response that abrogated tumor growth in syngeneic immunocompetent mice, but not in immunodeficient mice. Mechanistically, PI3Kβ inactivation in the PTEN-null setting led to reduced STAT3 signaling and increased expression of immune stimulatory molecules, thereby promoting anti-tumor immune responses. Pharmacological PI3Kβ inhibition also elicited anti-tumor immunity, and synergized with immunotherapy to inhibit tumor growth. Mice with complete responses to the combined treatment displayed immune memory and rejected tumors upon re-challenge. Our findings demonstrate a molecular mechanism linking PTEN loss and STAT3 activation in cancer and suggest that PI3Kβ controls immune escape in PTEN-null tumors, providing a rationale for combining PI3Kβ inhibitors with immunotherapy for the treatment of PTEN-deficient breast cancer.