1. Academic Validation
  2. ROCK1/2 signaling contributes to corticosteroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease

ROCK1/2 signaling contributes to corticosteroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease

  • Nat Commun. 2024 Jan 10;15(1):446. doi: 10.1038/s41467-024-44703-7.
Kristina Maas-Bauer # 1 Anna-Verena Stell # 1 Kai-Li Yan # 1 Enrique de Vega # 1 2 Janaki Manoja Vinnakota # 1 Susanne Unger 3 Nicolas Núñez 3 Johana Norona 1 Nana Talvard-Balland 1 Stefanie Koßmann 1 Carsten Schwan 4 Cornelius Miething 1 Uta S Martens 1 4 Khalid Shoumariyeh 1 5 Rosa P Nestor 1 Sandra Duquesne 1 Kathrin Hanke 1 Michal Rackiewicz 6 7 Zehan Hu 6 7 Nadia El Khawanky 1 Sanaz Taromi 1 Hana Andrlova 1 Hemin Faraidun 2 Stefanie Walter 1 Dietmar Pfeifer 1 Marie Follo 1 Johannes Waldschmidt 1 Wolfgang Melchinger 1 Michael Rassner 1 Claudia Wehr 1 Annette Schmitt-Graeff 8 Sebastian Halbach 5 9 James Liao 10 Georg Häcker 11 Tilman Brummer 5 9 12 Joern Dengjel 6 7 Geoffroy Andrieux 13 Robert Grosse 4 14 Sonia Tugues 3 Bruce R Blazar 15 Burkhard Becher 3 Melanie Boerries 5 13 Robert Zeiser 16 17 18
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 2 Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 3 Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
  • 4 Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 5 German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Freiburg, a partnership between German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 6 Department of Biology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland.
  • 7 Department of Dermatology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 8 Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 9 IMMZ, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 10 Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, USA.
  • 11 IMMH, University Hospital Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 12 Signaling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 13 Institute of Medical Bioinformatics and Systems Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 14 CIBSS-Centre for Integrative Biological Signalling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 15 Department of Pediatrics, Division of Blood & Marrow Transplant & Cellular Therapy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
  • 16 Department of Medicine I, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. robert.zeiser@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
  • 17 German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Freiburg, a partnership between German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. robert.zeiser@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
  • 18 Signaling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS - Centre for Integrative Biological Signaling Studies, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. robert.zeiser@uniklinik-freiburg.de.
  • # Contributed equally.
Abstract

Patients with corticosteroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) have a low one-year survival rate. Identification and validation of novel targetable kinases in patients who experience corticosteroid-refractory-aGVHD may help improve outcomes. Kinase-specific proteomics of leukocytes from patients with corticosteroid-refractory-GVHD identified rho kinase type 1 (ROCK1) as the most significantly upregulated kinase. ROCK1/2 inhibition improved survival and histological GVHD severity in mice and was synergistic with JAK1/2 inhibition, without compromising graft-versus-leukemia-effects. ROCK1/2-inhibition in macrophages or dendritic cells prior to transfer reduced GVHD severity. Mechanistically, ROCK1/2 inhibition or ROCK1 knockdown interfered with CD80, CD86, MHC-II expression and IL-6, IL-1β, iNOS and TNF production in myeloid cells. This was accompanied by impaired T cell activation by dendritic cells and inhibition of cytoskeletal rearrangements, thereby reducing macrophage and DC migration. NF-κB signaling was reduced in myeloid cells following ROCK1/2 inhibition. In conclusion, ROCK1/2 inhibition interferes with immune activation at multiple levels and reduces acute GVHD while maintaining GVL-effects, including in corticosteroid-refractory settings.

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