Targeting phosphodiesterase 10A disrupts MAPK signaling pathways in the tumor microenvironment to unleash antitumor immunity

Abstract

Phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A), a cyclic nucleotide-degrading enzyme, is overexpressed in various human cancers. While PDE10A inhibition using small-molecule inhibitors or gene silencing suppresses tumor growth in xenograft models, its precise mechanism of action and immunological impact remain unclear. Here, we report that ADT-030, a novel PDE10A inhibitor, exhibits potent cytotoxicity against a broad range of murine tumor cell lines. ADT-030 is orally bioavailable and effectively suppresses tumor growth across multiple syngeneic mouse models. Notably, its efficacy is diminished in immunodeficient mice or upon CD8+ T cell depletion, highlighting a critical dependence on host immunity. The immunostimulatory properties of ADT-030 are further supported by its ability to induce immunogenic tumor cell death and promote dendritic cell (DC) maturation, its reliance on Batf3-expressing DCs to elicit antitumor CD8+ T cell response, and its synergy with anti-PD-1 therapy. Comprehensive immune profiling in the 4T1 breast cancer model, both in orthotopic and metastatic settings, revealed that ADT-030 selectively reduces myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) while normalizing the immune landscape within the tumor. Mechanistically, ADT-030 disrupts multiple components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling network in both tumor cells and MDSCs, leading to induction of apoptosis in these populations. These findings highlight the multi-faceted impact of PDE10A inhibition as a therapeutic strategy that not only disrupts tumor-intrinsic oncogenic signaling to inhibit tumor progression but also reshapes the tumor immune microenvironment to unleash antitumor immunity.