Siglec-9+tumor-associated macrophages delineate an immunosuppressive subset with therapeutic vulnerability in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer

Background The potent immunosuppressive properties of sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin-9 (Siglec-9) on myeloid cells and lymphocytes provide a strong rationale for serving as a therapeutic target. However, the expression profile and critical role of Siglec-9 in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) remain obscure. This study aimed to elucidate the prognostic significance of Siglec-9 expression and its predictive value for immunotherapy in HGSC. Methods Study enrolled two cohorts, consisting of 120 tumor microarray specimens of HGSC for immunohistochemistry (IHC) and 40 fresh tumor specimens for flow cytometry (FCM). Expression profile of Siglec-9 in immune cells was analyzed by both bioinformatics analysis and FCM. Role of Siglec-9 was studied to identify that Siglec-9 + TAMs linked with an immunosuppressive phenotype by IHC and FCM, and block Siglec-9 was sensitive to immunotherapy by ex vivo and in vitro assays. Results Siglec-9 is predominantly expressed on tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). High Siglec-9 + TAMs were associated with inferior overall survival (OS). Both tumor-conditioned medium (TCM) and tumor ascites induced enrichment of Siglec-9 + TAMs with protumorigenic phenotypes. Siglec-9 + TAMs were associated with immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) characterized by exhausted CD8 + T cells and increased immune checkpoint expression. Blockade of Siglec-9 suppressed phosphorylation of the inhibitory phosphatase SHP-1 and repolarized TAMs to antitumorigenic phenotype and retrieved cytotoxic activity of CD8 + T cells in vitro and ex vivo. Responders toward antiprogrammed death receptor-1 (anti-PD-1) therapy present more Siglec-9 + TAMs than non-responders. Furthermore, blockade Siglec-9 synergized with anti-PD-1 antibody to enhance the cytotoxic activity of CD8 + T cells in tissues with higher Siglec-9 + TAMs. Conclusions Siglec-9 + TAMs may serve as an independent prognostic of poor survival but a predictive biomarker for anti-PD-1/antiprogrammed death ligand-1 immunotherapy in HGSC. In addition, the potential of immunosuppressive Siglec-9 + TAMs as a therapeutic target is worth further exploration.