Na, K-ATPase α1 cooperates with its endogenous ligand to reprogram immune microenvironment of lung carcinoma and promotes immune escape

Dysregulated endocrine hormones (EHs) contribute to tumorigenesis, but how EHs affect the tumor immune microenvironment (TIM) and the immunotherapy of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is still unclear. Here, endogenous ouabain (EO), an adrenergic hormone, is elevated in patients with NSCLC and closely related to tumor pathological stage, metastasis, and survival. EO promotes the suppression of TIM in vivo by modulating the expression of immune checkpoint proteins, in which programmed cell death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1) plays a major role. EO increases PD-L1 transcription; however, the EO receptor Na- and K-dependent adenosine triphosphatase (Na, K-ATPase) α1 interacts with PD-L1 to trigger the endocytic degradation of PD-L1. This seemingly contradictory result led us to discover the mechanism whereby EO cooperates with Na, K-ATPase α1 to finely control PD-L1 expression and dampen tumoral immunity. In conclusion, the Na, K-ATPase α1/EO signaling facilitates immune escape in lung cancer, and manipulation of this signaling shows great promise in improving immunotherapy for lung adenocarcinoma.