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University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Il-6/Jak1 Drives Pd-L1 Phosphorylation and Glycosylation to Promote Cancer Immune Evasion

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

<p>Glycosylation of immune receptors and ligands, such as T-cell receptor (TCR), major histocompatibility complex (MHC), and co-inhibitory molecules, regulates immune signaling activation, antigen presentation, and immune surveillance. Recent studies revealed that the glycan structures of co-inhibitory molecules are required for receptor-ligand interaction, a critical feature for activating cancer immune evasion. However, it is unclear how oncogenic signaling initiates glycosylation of co-inhibitory molecules to induce immunosuppression. Here we show interleukin (IL)-6-activated Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) phosphorylates programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-Tyr112, leading to the recruitment of endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated N-glycosyltransferase, STT3A, which catalyzes the glycosylation of PD-L1, contributing to its stability. A positive correlation between IL-6 and PD-L1 expression levels was observed in tumor samples from patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Furthermore, IL-6 blockade led to downregulation of PD-L1 and increased sensitivity to anti-T-cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (Tim-3) immune checkpoint therapies in animal models. These results identify a mechanism regulating initiation of PD-L1 glycosylation and suggest that the combination of anti-IL-6 and anti-Tim-3 is an effective, biomarker-driven, therapeutic strategy in HCC.</p>

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Level thesis:degree_level
Dissertation (PhD)
Year dc:date.available
2019

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Authors dc:creator
  • Chan, Li-Chuan
  • <p>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2665-637X</p>
Contributors dc:contributor
  • Mien-Chie Hung, Ph.D
  • Paul J. Chiao, Ph.D.
  • Ahmed Kaseb, M.D.

Subjects

dc:subject × 4

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu:utgsbs_dissertations-1978

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
Base URL
digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/do/oai/
Last updated
2026-07-24
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Chan, Li-Chuan; <p>https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2665-637X</p>. Il-6/Jak1 Drives Pd-L1 Phosphorylation and Glycosylation to Promote Cancer Immune Evasion. Dissertation (PhD) thesis, 2019. https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/utgsbs_dissertations/933