Residual ANTXR1+ myofibroblasts after chemotherapy inhibit anti-tumor immunity via YAP1 signaling pathway

Abstract

Although cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF) heterogeneity is well-established, the impact of chemotherapy on CAF populations remains poorly understood. Here we address this question in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), in which we previously identified 4 CAF populations. While the global content in stroma increases in HGSOC after chemotherapy, the proportion of FAP⁺ CAF (also called CAF-S1) decreases. Still, maintenance of high residual CAF-S1 content after chemotherapy is associated with reduced CD8⁺ T lymphocyte density and poor patient prognosis, emphasizing the importance of CAF-S1 reduction upon treatment. Single cell analysis, spatial transcriptomics and immunohistochemistry reveal that the content in the ECM-producing ANTXR1⁺ CAF-S1 cluster (ECM-myCAF) is the most affected by chemotherapy. Moreover, functional assays demonstrate that ECM-myCAF isolated from HGSOC reduce CD8⁺ T-cell cytotoxicity through a Yes Associated Protein 1 (YAP1)-dependent mechanism. Thus, efficient inhibition after treatment of YAP1-signaling pathway in the ECM-myCAF cluster could enhance CD8⁺ T-cell cytotoxicity. Altogether, these data pave the way for therapy targeting YAP1 in ECM-myCAF in HGSOC.