GRHL2 suppression of NT5E/CD73 in breast cancer cells modulates CD73-mediated adenosine production and T cell recruitment

Tumor tissues often contain high extracellular adenosine, promoting an immunosuppressed environment linked to mesenchymal transition and immune evasion. Here, we show that loss of the epithelial transcription factor, GRHL2, triggers NT5E/CD73 ecto-enzyme expression, augmenting the conversion of AMP to adenosine. GRHL2 binds an intronic NT5E sequence and is negatively correlated with NT5E/CD73 in breast cancer cell lines and patients. Remarkably, the increased adenosine levels triggered by GRHL2 depletion in MCF-7 breast cancer cells do not suppress but mildly increase CD8 T cell recruitment, a response mimicked by a stable adenosine analog but prevented by CD73 inhibition. Indeed, NT5E expression shows a positive rather than negative association with CD8 T cell infiltration in breast cancer patients. These findings reveal a GRHL2-regulated immune modulation mechanism in breast cancers and show that extracellular adenosine, besides its established role as a suppressor of T cell-mediated cytotoxicity, is associated with enhanced T cell recruitment.