Single-cell screens identify ADAM12 as a fibroblast checkpoint impeding anti-tumor immunity

Abstract

Clinical trials targeting cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs)-crucial pro-tumoral factors in cancer-have almost all failed. This may be ascribed to their intrinsic functional plasticity and the opaque regulatory circuits underlying their heterogeneous phenotypes within tumors. We address these by developing a systematic screening approach for patient-derived fibroblasts using complementary CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) and activation (CRISPRa)-based Perturb-seq. An anti-tumoral interferon (IFN)-I response-associated program is identified as the primary antagonism axis counteracting TGF-β-driven pro-tumoral myofibroblast activation. ADAM12 emerges as a molecular checkpoint mediating this relationship. Its ablation elicits IFN-I-responsive programs, reconfigures myofibroblast population structures into progenitor-like states, revitalizes T cell-based immune responses, and induces tumor rejection across various murine models. Further combined with human genomics data analysis, our findings position ADAM12 as a potential target for fibroblasts, paving the way for actionable therapeutic interventions.

Keywords: CAFs; CRISPRa; CRISPRi; Perturb-seq; anti-tumoral fibroblasts; cancer-associated fibroblasts; immunotherapy; myofibroblast activation; patient-derived organoid-fibroblast co-culture; turning cold tumors hot.