β-Catenin regulates tumor-derived PD-L1

Abstract

In this issue of JEM, Du et al. (https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20191115) report that enhancement of the β-catenin signaling by Wnt or EGF treatment increases the expression of PD-L1 in an AKT and β-catenin-dependent manner, and blocking the AKT pathway synergizes with anti-PD-1 in a glioblastoma model.

Insights from Chuanhui Han and Yang-Xin Fu.

Extracellular signals regulate the expression of PD-L1 in TME. Many cytokines were reported to regulate the expression of PD-L1 in TME; especially, macrophages, dendritic cells, and CD8⁺ T cells in TME express higher PD-L1 than tumor cells. Thus, the role of AKT–β-catenin axis to the expression of PD-L1 in immune cells is also worth further exploration.