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Transient EZH2 suppression by Tazemetostat during in vitro expansion maintains T cell stemness and improves adoptive T cell therapy

Hou, Y.; Zak, J.; Shi, Y.; Pratumchai, I.; Dinner, B.; Wang, W.; Qin, K.; Weber, E. W.; Teijaro, J.; Wu, P.

2023-02-07 immunology
10.1101/2023.02.07.527459 bioRxiv
Show abstract

The histone methyltransferase enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2)-mediated epigenetic regulation of T cell differentiation in acute infection has been extensively investigated. However, the role of EZH2 in T cell exhaustion remains under-explored. Here, using in vitro exhaustion models, we demonstrated that transient inhibition of EZH2 in T cells before the phenotypic onset of exhaustion with a clinically approved inhibitor, Tazemetastat, delayed their dysfunctional progression and maintained T cell stemness and polyfunctionality while having no negative impact on cell proliferation. Tazemetestat induced T cell epigenetic reprogramming and increased the expression of the self-renewing T cell transcription factor TCF1 by reducing its promoter H3K27 methylation preferentially in rapidly dividing T cells. In a murine melanoma model, T cells pre-treated with tazemetastat exhibited a superior response to anti-PD-1 blockade therapy after adoptive transfer. Collectively, these data unveil the potential of transient epigenetic reprogramming as a potential intervention to be combined with checkpoint blockade for immune therapy.

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