Lactic Acid Drives ESM1 to Attenuate DNA Damage and CD8+ T Cell Infiltration in Cancer. (PubMed, Oncol Res)
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and ovarian cancer (OC) cells with cisplatin-induced DNA damage were treated with lactate at a concentration gradient, Endothelial cell-specific molecule 1 (ESM1) shRNA, ESM1 overexpression plasmid, or the Protein Kinase B (AKT) Serine/Threonine Kinase 1 (Akt1) inhibitor LY294002. Analysis of tumor patient samples further validates the negative correlation between ESM1 and CD8+ T cell levels in cancer patients. In summary, lactate activates the Akt1-Murine Double Minute 2 (MDM2)-p53 pathway via ESM1 to suppress DDR, while the reduction of DDR-generated dsDNA inactivates the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase-Stimulator of Interferon Genes (cGAS-STING) pathway, thereby inhibiting CD8+ T cell immune infiltration.