Inhibition of Heme Oxygenase 1 Suppresses Growth, Migration, and Invasion, and Regulates Tumor-Infiltrating CD8+ T Cells and in Uveal Melanoma

Purpose: Metastatic uveal melanoma (UM) treatment is difficult, and effective treatments are urgently needed. We aimed to explore the role of heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in UM and provide new therapeutic strategies for UM.

Methods: Bioinformatics was used to analyze the relationship between HMOX1 and immunity in UM and Other tumors. Cell Counting Kit-8, Western blot, immunofluorescence staining, wound healing, and Transwell assays were used. A subcutaneous transplanted UM tumor model was used in mice to verify the therapeutic effect.

Results: In UM, the expression level of HMOX1 was strongly correlated with the immune score and the infiltration level of various immune cells. ZnPP can inhibit the growth of UM cells, promote cell Apoptosis, and block the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase in vitro. HO-1 knockout can effectively inhibit the proliferation of UM cells. ZnPP effectively inhibited the growth of UM and promoted the infiltration of CD8+ T cells in a subcutaneous tumor transplantation model.

Conclusions: These results indicate that targeting HO-1 in UM has the potential for independent targeted immunotherapy or Adjuvant immunotherapy.