Absence of EGFR signalling in granulocytic cells relieves immunosuppression sensitising CRC metastases to immune checkpoint therapy

Standard therapies employ chemotherapy combined with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) blocking antibodies, which are only effective in a fraction of patients with RAS/RAF wild-type tumours. We have previously shown that EGFR deletion in myeloid cells of CRC, rather than in the cancer cells themselves, reduces tumour growth.

Here, we investigate to which extent EGFR blockade in myeloid cells increases anti-tumour immunity thus sensitizing CRC to ICB. Using a syngeneic preclinical CRC liver metastasis model based on the transplantation of murine RAS mutant CRC organoids into mice lacking EGFR in myeloid cells, we observe a reduction in metastasis development accompanied by increased intratumoural T-cell infiltration. Importantly, we demonstrate that EGFR deletion reduces the capacity of granulocytic myeloid derived suppressor cells (G-MDSCSs) to suppress CD4+ T-cell proliferation.