351 Mechanisms of exosome-mediated immunosuppression in IDH mutant gliomas

Abstract

Objectives/Goals: We aim to identify how IDH mutant (IDHm) gliomas use exosomes to modulate the local and systemic immune system. We will do so by characterizing differential miRNA expression between IDHm and IDH wild type (IDHwt) exosomes and identifying the specific immune cell population targeted by exosomes in vivo. Methods/Study Population: Exosome RNA will be isolated from cultured patient glioma samples and perform small RNA sequencing to investigate differential expression of miRNA between IDHwt and IDHm exosomes. We will then utilize miRNA target databases in conjunction with bioinformatic pathway analysis to generate potential target regulatory pathways. To identify the in vivo effect of tumor exosomes, we will generate a novel glioma mouse model that has been genetically engineered to release labeled exosomes using the RCAS retroviral system. We will collect peripheral blood and tumor tissue for flow cytometric immune profiling and single-cell RNA sequencing. The transcriptomic data will be analyzed to identify subsets of immune populations that have taken up the labeled exosomes and assess the resulting expression changes in those cells. Results/Anticipated Results: From the small RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis, we expect to find several unique miRNA expressed in IDHm exosomes that induce immunosuppressive pathways in local and systemic immune cell populations when compared to IDHwt exosomes. Furthermore, using our novel murine model, we expect to be able to track endogenously released exosomes in the local tumor microenvironment and in the circulating blood. We hypothesize that IDHm exosomes specifically target precursor myeloid cells within the local and peripheral circulating immune populations and induce the expansion of monocytes, M2 macrophages, and mono-MDSCs. Discussion/Significance of Impact: Immunosuppression in IDHm glioma has hindered the development of adequate therapies to treat this fatal disease. Our study will illuminate the mechanism by which tumor exosomes can suppress immune surveillance. These results will help identify new therapeutic targets to sensitize the immune system against glioma cells.