FGFR inhibitors promote the autophagic degradation of IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 and alleviate the PD-L1-mediated transcriptional suppression of FGFR3-TACC3 in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer
Abstract Bladder cancer (BC) is the second most prevalent genitourinary malignancy worldwide. Treatment options remain limited for patients with Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Up to 70% of NMIBC cases harbor fibroblast growth factor receptor 3...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Publishing Group
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Cell Death and Disease |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07821-8 |
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| author | Yu-Chen Lin Cheng-Ying Chu Tsung-Han Hsieh Bo-Jyun Lin Jing-Ping Liou Yun Yen Chun-Han Chen |
| author_facet | Yu-Chen Lin Cheng-Ying Chu Tsung-Han Hsieh Bo-Jyun Lin Jing-Ping Liou Yun Yen Chun-Han Chen |
| author_sort | Yu-Chen Lin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Bladder cancer (BC) is the second most prevalent genitourinary malignancy worldwide. Treatment options remain limited for patients with Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Up to 70% of NMIBC cases harbor fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) alterations, and FGFR inhibition has shown potential to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI). Interferon (IFN)-γ, a cytokine produced by activated T cells and associated with better response to immunotherapy in BC, is a key inducer of PD-L1 expression in the tumor microenvironment. However, the interaction between FGFR inhibitors and IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 expression in FGFR3-activated NMIBC cells remains unclear. Here, we show that FGFR inhibitors significantly reduced IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 expression in NMIBC cells harboring FGFR3-TACC3 fusions. Mechanistically, FGFR inhibitors restored IFN-γ-suppressed SIRT1 expression, promoted LC3B deacetylation and nuclear export, and enhanced autophagy-lysosomal degradation of PD-L1. Blocking autophagy, overexpression SIGMAR1, or inhibiting lysosomal activity significantly reversed PD-L1 degradation. Notably, we demonstrate for the first time that IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 directly binds to the FGFR3 promoter and represses FGFR3-TACC3 transcription–an effect that can be rescued by FGFR inhibitors or PD-L1 knockdown. Functionally, FGFR inhibitors ameliorated PD1/PD-L1-mediated T cell suppression in co-culture assays. Together, these findings highlight a novel mechanism by which FGFR inhibitors suppress IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 via autophagy and suggest a potential strategy to improve ICI therapy in FGFR3-altered NMIBC. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d0399b1f93334fb4b4b1c9f9d8ca26e0 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-4889 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cell Death and Disease |
| spelling | doaj-art-d0399b1f93334fb4b4b1c9f9d8ca26e02025-08-20T03:45:38ZengNature Publishing GroupCell Death and Disease2041-48892025-07-0116111510.1038/s41419-025-07821-8FGFR inhibitors promote the autophagic degradation of IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 and alleviate the PD-L1-mediated transcriptional suppression of FGFR3-TACC3 in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancerYu-Chen Lin0Cheng-Ying Chu1Tsung-Han Hsieh2Bo-Jyun Lin3Jing-Ping Liou4Yun Yen5Chun-Han Chen6Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityCRISPR Gene Targeting Core, Taipei Medical UniversityPrecision Health Center, Taipei Medical UniversityGraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversitySchool of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical UniversityPh.D. Program for Cancer Biology and Drug Discovery, College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical UniversityGraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical UniversityAbstract Bladder cancer (BC) is the second most prevalent genitourinary malignancy worldwide. Treatment options remain limited for patients with Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG)-unresponsive non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Up to 70% of NMIBC cases harbor fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) alterations, and FGFR inhibition has shown potential to enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI). Interferon (IFN)-γ, a cytokine produced by activated T cells and associated with better response to immunotherapy in BC, is a key inducer of PD-L1 expression in the tumor microenvironment. However, the interaction between FGFR inhibitors and IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 expression in FGFR3-activated NMIBC cells remains unclear. Here, we show that FGFR inhibitors significantly reduced IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 expression in NMIBC cells harboring FGFR3-TACC3 fusions. Mechanistically, FGFR inhibitors restored IFN-γ-suppressed SIRT1 expression, promoted LC3B deacetylation and nuclear export, and enhanced autophagy-lysosomal degradation of PD-L1. Blocking autophagy, overexpression SIGMAR1, or inhibiting lysosomal activity significantly reversed PD-L1 degradation. Notably, we demonstrate for the first time that IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 directly binds to the FGFR3 promoter and represses FGFR3-TACC3 transcription–an effect that can be rescued by FGFR inhibitors or PD-L1 knockdown. Functionally, FGFR inhibitors ameliorated PD1/PD-L1-mediated T cell suppression in co-culture assays. Together, these findings highlight a novel mechanism by which FGFR inhibitors suppress IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 via autophagy and suggest a potential strategy to improve ICI therapy in FGFR3-altered NMIBC.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07821-8 |
| spellingShingle | Yu-Chen Lin Cheng-Ying Chu Tsung-Han Hsieh Bo-Jyun Lin Jing-Ping Liou Yun Yen Chun-Han Chen FGFR inhibitors promote the autophagic degradation of IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 and alleviate the PD-L1-mediated transcriptional suppression of FGFR3-TACC3 in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer Cell Death and Disease |
| title | FGFR inhibitors promote the autophagic degradation of IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 and alleviate the PD-L1-mediated transcriptional suppression of FGFR3-TACC3 in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer |
| title_full | FGFR inhibitors promote the autophagic degradation of IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 and alleviate the PD-L1-mediated transcriptional suppression of FGFR3-TACC3 in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer |
| title_fullStr | FGFR inhibitors promote the autophagic degradation of IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 and alleviate the PD-L1-mediated transcriptional suppression of FGFR3-TACC3 in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | FGFR inhibitors promote the autophagic degradation of IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 and alleviate the PD-L1-mediated transcriptional suppression of FGFR3-TACC3 in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer |
| title_short | FGFR inhibitors promote the autophagic degradation of IFN-γ-induced PD-L1 and alleviate the PD-L1-mediated transcriptional suppression of FGFR3-TACC3 in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer |
| title_sort | fgfr inhibitors promote the autophagic degradation of ifn γ induced pd l1 and alleviate the pd l1 mediated transcriptional suppression of fgfr3 tacc3 in non muscle invasive bladder cancer |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41419-025-07821-8 |
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