Targeting HMGB2 acts as dual immunomodulator by bolstering CD8+ T cell function and inhibiting tumor growth in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

T cell exhaustion is a critical obstacle for durable treatment response in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Developing drugs that control tumor growth and simultaneously bolster immune function is of great significance. Although high-mobility group box 2 (HMGB2) has been reported to be crucial to HCC prognosis, its role in the tumor microenvironment remains unclear. Here, we found HMGB2⁺ CD8⁺ T cells as being associated with immune exhaustion and resistance to anti–PD-1 treatment through single-cell RNA sequencing. Mechanistically, HMGB2 impaired the oxidative phosphorylation in CD8⁺ T cells and inactivated the interferon-γ response in tumor cells, reducing the antitumor effector function. Tannic acid, a specific inhibitor of HMGB2, synergized with PD-1 antibody to attenuate tumor growth and reverse T cell exhaustion. Our findings highlight the unique role of HMGB2 as an immune exhaustion associated molecule. Targeting HMGB2 on both CD8⁺ T cells and tumor cells contributed to promising treatment strategies for HCC.