# Regulation of anti-tumor immunity by HDAC11

> **NIH NIH R01** · GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2023 · $84,425

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 Recent developments in the field of immunotherapy clearly support the contribution of the immune system
in eradicating cancer. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are currently employed in the treatment of many
malignancies, and accumulating evidence suggests that many of the anticancer effects of HDAC inhibitors
involve the immune system.
 Previously, there was limited information on the role of HDAC11 in immunity and cancer. We discovered
that HDAC11 negatively regulates IL-10 production in antigen-presenting cells. We also found that HDAC11 is
highly expressed in T lymphocytes and neutrophils and, subsequently, revealed that HDAC11 disruption in T
cells is associated with an enhanced pro-inflammatory cytokine profile and effector molecule production. T
cells lacking HDAC11 are less susceptible to regulatory T cell suppression in vitro, are refractory to tolerance
induction in vivo, and display enhanced anti-tumor responses in transplanted mantle cell lymphoma murine
models. Furthermore, HDAC11 is a multifaceted regulator of neutrophils. The absence of Hdac11 in
neutrophils significantly increases cellular production of proinflammatory cytokines and promotes cell migration
and phagocytic capacity.
 More recently, our group discovered an efficient novel activity for HDAC11, the removal of long-chain fatty
acyl groups from protein lysine residues. This novel activity is >10,000-fold more efficient than its deacetylase
activity. Using a syngeneic mouse-to-mouse model, we established ectopic tumors in Hdac11 wildtype and
knockout (KO) mice. The growth of the syngeneic lymphoma cells in the Hdac11 KO mice was markedly
inhibited, pointing toward a crucial role of HDAC11 in the tumor microenvironment. In this resubmission
application, the central hypothesis is that HDAC11 reprograms anti-cancer immunity via its defatty-acylation
activity and presents a potential novel drug target for cancer treatment.
 Our long-term goal is to develop a detailed molecular understanding of HDAC11's role in anti-tumor
immunity. Results from this work will: (1) provide a better understanding of the anti-tumor behavior of HDAC11;
(2) expand a functional understanding of protein lysine defatty-acylation in cancer; (3) develop better treatment
strategies for cancer through targeting the lysine defatty-acylation mechanism; and (4) produce selective
HDAC11 inhibitors, which will accelerate the development of new cancer treatment strategies.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10737814
- **Project number:** 3R01CA240529-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Rong Li
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $84,425
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-06-01 → 2025-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10737814

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10737814, Regulation of anti-tumor immunity by HDAC11 (3R01CA240529-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10737814. Licensed CC0.

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