Tumor-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) impairs anti-tumor immunity by priming suppressive functions on various immune cell types, including dendritic cells (DCs). In this way, tumors mediate DC dysfunction and hamper their anti-tumoral activity. PGE2 is known to modulate DC function via signaling through the E-prostanoid receptor type (EP) 2 and EP4. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the therapeutic value of targeting EP2/4 receptor signaling in DCs. Ongoing phase I clinical trials with EP antagonists have shown immunomodulation in cancer patients. However, the systemic drug administration leads to off-target events and subsequent side-effects. To limit the off-target effects of EP targeting, EP2 and EP4 antagonists were encapsulated in polymeric nanoparticles (NPs). In this study we evaluated the efficacy of EP2/4 specific antagonists encapsulated in NPs to protect cDC2s from suppressive effects of tumor-derived PGE2 in different tumor models. We show that tumor-derived PGE2 signals via EP2/4 to mediate the acquisition of a suppressive phenotype of cDC2s. EP2/4 antagonists encapsulated NPs impaired the conversion of cDC2s towards a suppressive state and inhibited the occurrence of suppressive features such as IL-10 production or the ability to expand Tregs. Importantly, the NPs abolished the transition towards this suppressive state in different tumor models: Melanoma-conditioned media, ascites fluid derived from ovarian cancer patients (2D), and upon coculture with colorectal cancer patient-derived organoids (3D). We propose that targeting the PGE2-EP2/4 axis using NPs can achieve immunomodulation in the immune system of cancer patients, alleviate tumor-derived suppression, and thus facilitate the development of potent anti-tumor immunity in cancer patients.

Author Info: (1) Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. (2) Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijme gen, the Netherlands. (3) Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. (4) Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. (5) Laboratory of Hematology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. (6) Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. Medical Oncology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. (7) R&D Reagents, Chemical Biology Department, Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG, Bergisch Gladbach, Germany. (8) Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. (9) Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. (10) Department of Medical BioSciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.