Neutralization of acyl-CoA-binding protein attenuates glucocorticoid-mediated suppression of cancer immunosurveillance

H Hui Pan (State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China) Z Zhe Shen (Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California) L Liwei Zhao (Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Inserm U1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université) P Peng Liu Z Ziqi Jin (Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology) E Eléonore Piard (Université Paris-Saclay, Gustave Roussy, ClinicoBiome, Inserm UMR1367, Microbiota and Mucosal Immunity for Cancer Immunotherapy) E Enfu Xue (Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Inserm U1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université) F Flavia Lambertucci (Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France) G Gautier Stoll (Computational Biology and Integrative Genomics of Cancer, INSERM U1331 Computational Oncology, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Mines Paris Tech) V Vincent Carbonnier (Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France) L Léa Montégut (Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France) S Sabrina Forveille (Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Inserm U1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université) M Maria Chiara Maiuri (Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Inserm U1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université) O Oliver Kepp (Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Inserm U1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université) L Laurence Zitvogel Y Yuting Ma (National Key Laboratory of Immunity and Inflammation, Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College) I Isabelle Martins (Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France) G Guido Kroemer

Abstract

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are potent immunosuppressive agents that compromise anticancer immune responses, yet the molecular mediators of this effect remain incompletely understood. Here, we identify the acyl-CoA-binding protein/diazepam-binding inhibitor (ACBP/DBI) as a critical effector of the GC-induced suppression of tumor immunosurveillance and immunotherapy efficacy. Using orthotopic murine models of breast cancer, non–small cell lung cancer, and cutaneous fibrosarcoma, we show that corticosterone (CORT) accelerates tumor progression and abrogates therapeutic responses to immunogenic chemotherapy and PD-1 blockade. Genetic ablation or monoclonal antibody (mAb)-mediated neutralization of ACBP/DBI prevents immunosuppression by CORT, restoring both natural and therapy-enhanced antitumor immunity in a T cell–dependent manner. Mechanistically, CORT induces Tsc22d3 expression in dendritic cells, impairs type I interferon signaling, and reduces antigen presentation capacity, which all can be reversed by ACBP/DBI neutralization. The immunosuppressive activity of GCs and the immunostimulatory function of anti-ACBP/DBI mAb converge on Tsc22d3 expression in myeloid cells, as shown by loss-of-function experiments in myeloid-specific Tsc22d3 -deficient mice. These findings reveal ACBP/DBI as a central mediator of GC-induced immune evasion and suggest its neutralization as a therapeutic strategy to restore anticancer immunity during endogenous or iatrogenic GC exposure.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 123, Issue 10
Published March 10, 2026
ISSN 0027-8424
Publisher National Academy of Sciences

Authors (18)

H

Hui Pan

State Key Laboratory of Organometallic Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China

Z

Zhe Shen

Department of Neurobiology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California

L

Liwei Zhao

Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Inserm U1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université

P

Peng Liu

Z

Ziqi Jin

Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology

E

Eléonore Piard

Université Paris-Saclay, Gustave Roussy, ClinicoBiome, Inserm UMR1367, Microbiota and Mucosal Immunity for Cancer Immunotherapy

E

Enfu Xue

Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Inserm U1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université

F

Flavia Lambertucci

Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France

G

Gautier Stoll

Computational Biology and Integrative Genomics of Cancer, INSERM U1331 Computational Oncology, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Mines Paris Tech

V

Vincent Carbonnier

Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France

L

Léa Montégut

Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France

S

Sabrina Forveille

Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Inserm U1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université

M

Maria Chiara Maiuri

Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Inserm U1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université

O

Oliver Kepp

Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe labellisée par la Ligue contre le cancer, Inserm U1138, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université

L

Laurence Zitvogel

Y

Yuting Ma

National Key Laboratory of Immunity and Inflammation, Suzhou Institute of Systems Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College

I

Isabelle Martins

Team Metabolism, Cancer & Immunity, Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Equipe Labellisée par la Ligue Contre le Cancer, Université Paris Cité, Sorbonne Université, Inserm U1138, Institut Universitaire de France

G

Guido Kroemer