Glucocorticoids unleash immune-dependent melanoma control through inhibition of the GARP/TGFß axis [RNA-seq]

Glucocorticoids were found to trigger immune-dependent control of an orthotopic melanoma model. This was found to be dependent on glucocorticoid receptor expression in the tumor cells. We used whole exome RNAseq of parental and glucocorticoid receptor knockout tumor cells in vivo and in vitro to identify the transcriptional changes induced following glucocorticoid treatment. Overall design: 10 mice were implanted with 20967 parental or 20967 GRKO melanoma tumours intradermally. 5 mice from each group were treated with control drug and 5 with glucocorticoid (clobetasol priopionate). These tumours were harvested, digested, RNA extracted, cDNA produced and sent for bulk sequencing. Additionally, 20967 parental and 20967 GRKO melanoma cells were cultured in vitro and treated with control (DMSO) or clobetasol propionate (1µM) prior to RNA collection and sequencing.