NAD⁺ metabolism enzyme NNMT in cancer-associated fibroblasts drives tumor progression and resistance to immunotherapy by modulating macrophages in urothelial bladder cancer

Abstract

NNMT⁺ CAFs were significantly associated with non-response to PD-L1 blockade immunotherapy in patients with UBC. Elevated NNMT, specifically in CAFs, upregulates SAA expression and enhances the recruitment and differentiation of macrophages in the tumor microenvironment, thereby directly or indirectly promoting tumor progression and conferring resistance to immunotherapies in bladder cancer.