Megan L. Clark, Kamen P. Simeonov, Walter K. Mowel, Michaël F. Michieletto, Leonel Joannas, Jasmine M. Wright, Isabel Erickson, Lexus R. Johnson, Rakesh Krishnan, César de la Fuente-Núñez, Andy J. Minn, Jorge Henao-Mejia
{"title":"Mitochondrial complex IV remodeling in tumor-associated macrophages amplifies interferon signaling and promotes anti-tumor immunity","authors":"Megan L. Clark, Kamen P. Simeonov, Walter K. Mowel, Michaël F. Michieletto, Leonel Joannas, Jasmine M. Wright, Isabel Erickson, Lexus R. Johnson, Rakesh Krishnan, César de la Fuente-Núñez, Andy J. Minn, Jorge Henao-Mejia","doi":"10.1016/j.immuni.2025.06.006","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) influence tumor progression and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) efficacy. Interferon (IFN)-TAMs predict better survival and ICB responses, yet the mechanisms governing IFN-TAMs remain unclear. Here, we identify NDUFA4, a complex IV subunit of the electron transport chain, as a functional switch controlling TAM function and anti-tumor immunity. NDUFA4 expression sustained pro-tumoral TAMs. However, intratumoral IFNs decreased NDUFA4 expression in TAMs via the cooperative action of NDUFA4L3 and <em>miR-147</em>, co-encoded by a conserved bifunctional transcript. Mechanistically, NDUFA4 repression increased mitochondrial DNA release into the cytoplasm and subsequent STING activation, thereby amplifying anti-tumor IFN-induced transcriptional programs in TAMs. Finally, we designed RNA-based therapeutics that leveraged the specificity of <em>miR-147</em> for the <em>Ndufa4</em> transcript to enhance ICB efficacy and inhibit B16 melanoma tumor growth. These findings uncover mitochondrial complex IV remodeling as a critical mechanism governing the functional adaptation of macrophages to distinct microenvironments with broad implications for immunotherapy.","PeriodicalId":13269,"journal":{"name":"Immunity","volume":"10 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":25.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-06-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Immunity","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.immuni.2025.06.006","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"IMMUNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) influence tumor progression and immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) efficacy. Interferon (IFN)-TAMs predict better survival and ICB responses, yet the mechanisms governing IFN-TAMs remain unclear. Here, we identify NDUFA4, a complex IV subunit of the electron transport chain, as a functional switch controlling TAM function and anti-tumor immunity. NDUFA4 expression sustained pro-tumoral TAMs. However, intratumoral IFNs decreased NDUFA4 expression in TAMs via the cooperative action of NDUFA4L3 and miR-147, co-encoded by a conserved bifunctional transcript. Mechanistically, NDUFA4 repression increased mitochondrial DNA release into the cytoplasm and subsequent STING activation, thereby amplifying anti-tumor IFN-induced transcriptional programs in TAMs. Finally, we designed RNA-based therapeutics that leveraged the specificity of miR-147 for the Ndufa4 transcript to enhance ICB efficacy and inhibit B16 melanoma tumor growth. These findings uncover mitochondrial complex IV remodeling as a critical mechanism governing the functional adaptation of macrophages to distinct microenvironments with broad implications for immunotherapy.
期刊介绍:
Immunity is a publication that focuses on publishing significant advancements in research related to immunology. We encourage the submission of studies that offer groundbreaking immunological discoveries, whether at the molecular, cellular, or whole organism level. Topics of interest encompass a wide range, such as cancer, infectious diseases, neuroimmunology, autoimmune diseases, allergies, mucosal immunity, metabolic diseases, and homeostasis.