All-trans retinoic acid stimulates viral mimicry, interferon responses and antigen presentation in breast-cancer cells

All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), a recognized differentiating agent, has significant potential in the personalized/stratified treatment of breast cancer. The present study reports on the molecular mechanisms underlying the anti-tumor activity of ATRA in breast cancer. The work is based on transcriptomic experiments performed on ATRA-treated breast cancer cell-lines, short-term tissue cultures of patient-derived mammary-tumors and a xenograft model. ATRA upregulates gene networks involved in interferon-responses, immune-modulation and antigen-presentation in retinoid-sensitive cells and tumors characterized by poor immunogenicity. ATRA-dependent upregulation of these gene networks is caused by a viral mimicry process, involving the activation of endogenous retroviruses. ATRA induces a non-canonical type of viral mimicry, which results in increased expression of the IRF1 (Interferon Responsive Factor 1) transcription factor and the DTX3L (Deltex-E3-Ubiquitin-Ligase-3L) downstream effector. Functional knockdown studies indicate that IRF1 and DTX3L are part of a negative feedback loop controlling ATRA-dependent growth inhibition of breast cancer cells. The study is of relevance from a clinical/therapeutic perspective. In fact, ATRA stimulates processes controlling the sensitivity to immuno-modulatory drugs, such as immune-checkpoint-inhibitors. This suggests that ATRA and immunotherapeutic agents represent rational combinations for the personalized treatment of breast cancer. Remarkably, ATRA-sensitivity seems to be relatively high in immune-cold mammary tumors, which are generally resistant to immunotherapy.