Abstract C035: ACKR1 expression in stromal cells regulates immune infiltration in triple negative breast cancer
Authors: Ewenighi-Amankwah Chinwe Obianuju , Roach Tanner , Dufraine Joseph , Adler Naiche , Kitajewski Jan 
Published: January 2023

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a highly aggressive and metastatic subtype of breast cancer, lacks expression of the estrogen and progesterone receptors and amplification of HER2 and comprises 15-20% of all breast cancer. Incidence and mortality of TNBC are higher in Black Americans than in other racial/ethnic groups. Conversely, Black patients are underrepresented in clinical breast cancer drug trials, limiting our understanding of differential treatment responses. Leukocyte infiltration is a key modulator of TNBC outcome, and Black patients show immunological differences that may contribute to differential outcomes in TNBC. About 60-80% of Black Americans are homozygous for a polymorphism in the Atypical Chemokine Receptor 1 (ACKR1) promoter region that causes loss of ACKR1 expression on red blood cells, also known as the “Duffy-null” serotype. ACKR1 is expressed on tumor cells, red blood cells, and endothelial cells, and can act as a chemokine sink or chemokine concentrator, depending on the context. Whole-tumor RNA analysis shows that overall loss of ACKR1 expression in TNBC tumors correlates strongly with decreased survival, but it is unclear which ACKR1-expressing cell type(s) contribute to this effect. Under inflammatory conditions, ACKR1 expression in endothelial cells localizes chemotactic cytokines at the endothelial junction, and loss of endothelial ACKR1 blocks the ability of leukocytes to extravasate through the endothelial barrier into surrounding tissues. We hypothesized that loss of endothelial/stromal ACKR1 reduces immune infiltration and activation in TNBC and racial/ethnic differences in ACKR1 expression may contribute to health disparities. To determine the role of ACKR1 in tumor immune infiltration, we chose a syngeneic immunocompetent mouse model to incorporate species-matched stromal-tumor interactions. We orthotopically inoculated E0771.LMB cells, a C57BL6/J syngeneic TNBC cell line, into ACKR1null and ACKR1het female mice. Tumor growth was measured triweekly, and tumor mass was measured at the 28-day endpoint. To measure immune infiltration, we fluorescently stained representative tumor cryosections with CD45 to detect all classes of infiltrating hematopoietic cells involved in immune response. There was no significant difference in tumor volume and mass among the ACKR1null and ACKR1het controls. Tumors implanted in ACKR1het controls showed broadly infiltrated leukocytes clusters, while tumors in ACKR1nullhosts showed sparse and infrequent leukocyte infiltration. Conclusion: Stromal ACKR1 does not have a strong effect on primary tumor growth. Loss of stromal ACKR1 reduces infiltration of leukocytes into the tumor microenvironment even when ACKR1 is not manipulated in the tumor cells, suggesting that ACKR1 in endothelial or other stromal cells regulates immune response in TNBC. Impact: Understanding the immunogenic functions of ACKR1 allelic variation will elucidate mechanisms of racially distinct therapeutic response in TNBC, enhance precision oncology, and promote cancer health equity.

Citation Format: Chinwe Obianuju Ewenighi-Amankwah, Tanner Roach, Joseph Dufraine, Naiche Adler, Jan Kitajewski. ACKR1 expression in stromal cells regulates immune infiltration in triple negative breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 15th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2022 Sep 16-19; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr C035.