DUX4 is a common driver of immune evasion and immunotherapy failure in metastatic cancers

Abstract

ABSTRACTCancer immune evasion contributes to checkpoint immunotherapy failure in many patients with metastatic cancers. The embryonic transcription factor DUX4 was recently characterized as a suppressor of interferon-γ signaling and antigen presentation that is aberrantly expressed in a small subset of primary tumors. Here, we report thatDUX4expression is a common feature of metastatic tumors, with ∼10-50% of advanced bladder, breast, kidney, prostate, and skin cancers expressingDUX4.DUX4expression is significantly associated with immune cell exclusion and decreased objective response to PD-L1 blockade in a large cohort of urothelial carcinoma patients.DUX4expression is a significant predictor of survival even after accounting for tumor mutational burden and other molecular and clinical features in this cohort, withDUX4expression associated with a median reduction in survival of over one year. Our data motivate future attempts to develop DUX4 as a biomarker and therapeutic target for checkpoint immunotherapy resistance.