KRAS Inhibition Activates an Actionable CD24 "Don't Eat Me" Signal in Pancreatic Cancer

Abstract

KRAS ^G12C inhibitors (G12Ci) have produced encouraging, albeit modest and transient, clinical benefit in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Identifying and targeting resistance mechanisms to G12Ci treatment is therefore crucial. To better understand the function of KRAS ^G12C and possible G12Ci bypass mechanisms, we developed an autochthonous KRAS ^G12C - driven PDAC model. Compared to the classical KRAS ^G12D PDAC model, the G12C model exhibits slower tumor growth, yet similar histopathological and molecular features. Aligned with clinical experience, G12Ci treatment of KRAS ^G12C tumors produced modest impact despite stimulating a 'hot' tumor immune microenvironment. Immunoprofiling revealed that CD24, a 'don't eat me' signal, is significantly upregulated on cancer cells upon G12Ci treatment. Blocking CD24 enhanced macrophage phagocytosis of cancer cells and significantly sensitized tumors to G12Ci treatment. Similar findings were observed in KRAS ^G12D -driven PDAC. Together, this study reveals common and distinct oncogenic KRAS allele-specific biology and identifies a clinically actionable adaptive mechanism that may improve the efficacy of oncogenic KRAS inhibitor therapy in PDAC.

Significance: Generation of an autochthonous KRAS ^G12C -driven pancreatic cancer model enabled elucidation of specific effects of KRAS ^G12C during tumor development, revealing CD24 as an actionable adaptive mechanism in cancer cells induced upon KRAS ^G12C inhibition.