VRK2 inhibition synergizes with PD-1 blockade to improve T cell responses

Therapeutic programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade enhances T cell mediated anti-tumor immunity but many patients do not respond and a significant proportion develops inflammatory toxicities. To develop better therapeutics and to understand the signaling pathways downstream of PD-1 we performed phosphoproteomic analysis of PD-1 and identified vaccinia related kinase 2 (VRK2) as a key mediator of PD-1 signaling. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we discovered that VRK2 is required for PD-1-induced phosphorylation of the protein p21 activated kinase 2 (PAK2), and for the inhibition of IL-2, IL-8, and IFN-γ secretion. Moving into in vivo syngeneic tumor models, pharmacologic inhibition of VRK2 in combination with PD-1 blockade enhanced tumor clearance through T cell activation. This study suggests that VRK2 is a unique therapeutic target and that combination of VRK2 inhibitors with PD-1 blockade may improve cancer immunotherapy.