Intratumoral SIRPα-deficient macrophages activate tumor antigen-specific cytotoxic T cells under radiotherapy

Abstract

Radiotherapy (RT)-induced tumoricidal immunity is severely limited when tumors are well-established. Here, we report that depleting SIRPα on intratumoral macrophages augments efficacy of RT to eliminate otherwise large, treatment-resistant colorectal (MC38) and pancreatic (Pan02 and KPC) tumors, inducing complete abscopal remission and long-lasting humoral and cellular immunity that prevent recurrence. SIRPα-deficient macrophages activated by irradiated tumor-released DAMPs exhibit robust efficacy and orchestrate an anti-tumor response that controls late-stage tumors. Upon RT-mediated activation, intratumoral SIRPα-deficient macrophages acquire potent proinflammatory features and conduct immunogenic antigen presentation that confer a tumoricidal microenvironment highly infiltrated by tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells, NK cells and inflammatory neutrophils, but with limited immunosuppressive regulatory T cells, myeloid derived suppressor cells and post-radiation wound-healing. The results demonstrate that SIRPα is a master regulator underlying tumor resistance to RT and provide proof-of-principle for SIRPα-deficient macrophage-based therapies to treat a broad spectrum of cancers, including those at advanced stages with low immunogenicity and metastases.