TIGIT is a key inhibitory checkpoint receptor in lymphoma

BACKGROUND: PD-1 checkpoint blockade therapy (CBT) has greatly benefited patients with select solid tumors and lymphomas but has limited efficacy against diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Because numerous inhibitory checkpoint receptors have been implicated in driving tumor-specific T cell dysfunction, we hypothesized that combinatorial CBT would enhance the activity of anti-PD-1-based therapy in DLBCL. T cell immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif domain (TIGIT) is a coinhibitory receptor expressed on dysfunctional tumor-infiltrating T cells, and TIGIT blockade has demonstrated encouraging activity in combination with PD-1 blockade in murine tumor models and in clinical studies. However, the degree to which TIGIT mediates T cell dysfunction in DLBCL has not been fully explored. RESULTS: Here, we demonstrate that TIGIT is broadly expressed on lymphoma-infiltrating T cells (LITs) across a variety of human lymphomas and is frequently coexpressed with PD-1. TIGIT expression is particularly common on LITs in DLBCL, where TIGIT(+) LITs often form distinct cellular communities and exhibit significant contact with malignant B cells. TIGIT(+)/PD-1(+) LITs from human DLBCL and murine lymphomas exhibit hypofunctional cytokine production on ex vivo restimulation. In mice with established, syngeneic A20 B-cell lymphomas, TIGIT or PD-1 mono-blockade leads to modest delays in tumor outgrowth, whereas PD-1 and TIGIT co-blockade results in complete rejection of A20 lymphomas in most mice and significantly prolongs survival compared with mice treated with monoblockade therapy. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide rationale for clinical investigation of TIGIT and PD-1 blockade in lymphomas, including DLBCL.