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LC3-dependent intercellular transfer of phosphorylated STAT1/2 elicits CXCL9+ macrophages and enhances radiation-induced antitumor immunity
Jun-Yan Li, Ying-Qing Li, Jia-Hao Dai, Sha Gong, Qing-Mei He, Jie-Wen Bai, Sai-Wei Huang, Ying-Qi Lu, Yu-Fei Duan, Sen-Yu Feng, Xi-Rong Tan, Xiao-Yu Liang, Jun Ma, Rui Guo, Na Liu
Jun-Yan Li, Ying-Qing Li, Jia-Hao Dai, Sha Gong, Qing-Mei He, Jie-Wen Bai, Sai-Wei Huang, Ying-Qi Lu, Yu-Fei Duan, Sen-Yu Feng, Xi-Rong Tan, Xiao-Yu Liang, Jun Ma, Rui Guo, Na Liu
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Research Article Cell biology Immunology Oncology

LC3-dependent intercellular transfer of phosphorylated STAT1/2 elicits CXCL9+ macrophages and enhances radiation-induced antitumor immunity

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Abstract

The efficacy of anticancer treatments, including radiotherapy, depends on the activation of type I IFN signaling. However, its regulatory networks and mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Here, we report that tumor cell–intrinsic type I IFN signaling can be transferred to macrophages via secretory autophagy, inducing CXCL9hi macrophages and enhancing CD8+ T cell–mediated antitumor immunity. Mechanistically, K63-linked ubiquitination at the K167 site of phosphorylated STAT2 (p-STAT2) facilitates its binding to LC3B, promoting the loading of p-STAT1 and p-STAT2 into extracellular vesicles and intercellular transference from tumor cells to macrophages, which, however, is suppressed by USP5-mediated STAT2 deubiquitination. Genetic depletion or pharmacological inhibition of USP5 promotes autophagy-dependent unconventional protein secretion of p-STAT1 and p-STAT2, leading to the induction of CXCL9+ macrophages. This process promotes the expression of T cell chemokines and upregulates the antigen presentation machinery, thereby enhancing radiation-induced CD8+ T cell antitumor immunity and radiotherapy efficacy. Our findings reveal a critical role of USP5 in type I IFN–induced antitumor immunity, providing potential targets for improving the efficacy of radiotherapy.

Authors

Jun-Yan Li, Ying-Qing Li, Jia-Hao Dai, Sha Gong, Qing-Mei He, Jie-Wen Bai, Sai-Wei Huang, Ying-Qi Lu, Yu-Fei Duan, Sen-Yu Feng, Xi-Rong Tan, Xiao-Yu Liang, Jun Ma, Rui Guo, Na Liu

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Figure 4

USP5 depletion in tumor cells induces and activates CXCL9+ macrophages.

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USP5 depletion in tumor cells induces and activates CXCL9+ macrophages.
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(A) The coculture system. Human or mouse tumor cells were pretreated with IFN-β for 48 hours and cocultured with THP1-derived macrophages (THP1-MΦ) or RAW264.7 cells for another 48 hours. The macrophages were collected for analysis. (B) Heatmap showing the ISG15, IFI44, CXCL9, CXCL10, and SPP1 mRNA expression in cocultured THP1-MΦ. (C) Relative Cxcl9 and Cxcl10 expression in cocultured RAW264.7 cells. (D) CD86 and HLA-DR expression on cocultured THP1-MΦ. (E) CD40 expression on RAW264.7 cells cocultured with Usp5-deficient CT26 cells. (F) p-STAT2 and p-STAT1 in large extracellular vesicles (LEVs) from the culture medium of USP5-deficient SUNE1 and HK1 cells after IFN-β treatment. (G) p-STAT1 and p-STAT2 levels in THP1-MΦ after coculture with SUNE1 cells. (H–J) THP1-MΦ were treated with LEVs collected from the culture medium of STAT2-EGFP–transfected control and USP5-deficient SUNE1 cells after IFN-β treatment. The proportion of EGFP+ macrophages (H), CD86 and HLA-DR expression (I), and relative CXCL9 and CXCL1 expression (J) in EGFP+ and EGFP– macrophages were measured. (K–M) Indicated B16 tumors were subjected to irradiation on day 10 after inoculation. The proportions of CXCL9+CD11b+ macrophages measured by multiplex immunofluorescent staining (K, n = 6 per group), the iNOS+CD11b+ macrophages and IFN-γ+TNF-α+CD8+ T cells measured by flow cytometry (L, n = 5 per group), and tumor growth (M, n = 6 per group) are reported. The results are representative of 3 independent experiments (B–J). Data are presented as mean ± SD. Comparisons were performed using 1-way ANOVA (H) or 2-way ANOVA with Bonferroni’s test (C–E and I–M) for multiple comparisons. **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001.

Copyright © 2026 American Society for Clinical Investigation
ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

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