Abstract
CD95 is a transmembrane receptor with potential to promote both cell death and growth. Initially described to trigger apoptosis upon ligand (CD95L) engagement, CD95 may also prompt cell proliferation, invasion and stemness. CD95 stimulation to induce cancer cell apoptosis has been proved clinically impracticable. However, in tumors expressing both CD95 and CD95L, strategically inhibiting CD95-CD95L interactions to simultaneously block cancer cell growth and apoptotic cell death in tumor microenvironment components, including CD95-expressing antitumor immune effector cells, may represent an alternative therapeutic strategy. Here we characterized the expression of CD95 and CD95L in murine glioma models in vitro and in vivo. To fully disrupt CD95-CD95L interactions, we deleted Cd95 or Cd95l by CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockout (KO) and assessed the consequences on cell growth and tumorigenicity in immunocompetent and immunocompromised mice. CD95 expression was identified in selected murine glioma cell lines. In vitro, expression of the canonical, membrane-bound, form of CD95L was not detected but cell lines expressed a shorter non-canonical, soluble, Cd95l variant. Tumors generated upon implantation of the same cells in vivo expressed both Cd95l variants. Upon Cd95l KO, all investigated cell lines exhibited reduced growth in vitro. Cell growth reduction upon Cd95 KO in SMA-497 murine glioma cells was rescued upon Cd95 re-transfection, validating CD95 specificity of the phenotype. Cd95-overexpression in Cd95-expressing cells did not increase growth. In vivo, Cd95 or Cd95l KO cell implantation in syngeneic mice generated smaller tumors than wildtype cells, resulting in prolonged survival. While 40% Cd95l KO cell-implanted immunocompetent mice did not develop tumors, all immunodeficient mice did. Altogether, these data reveal a growth-promoting role of non-canonical CD95L-CD95 interactions in murine gliomas, which blockade through gene KO results in decreased tumorigenicity. Furthermore, our data suggest the contribution of CD95L-mediated immunosuppression to the reduction of Cd95l KO-associated tumorigenicity.