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Rocca G, Galli M, Celant A, Stucchi G, Marongiu L, Cozzi S, Innocenti M, Granucci F. Multiplexed imaging to reveal tissue dendritic cell spatial localisation and function. FEBS Lett 2024. [PMID: 38969618 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/07/2024]
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in immune surveillance, acting as sentinels that coordinate immune responses within tissues. Although differences in the identity and functional states of DC subpopulations have been identified through multiparametric flow cytometry and single-cell RNA sequencing, these methods do not provide information about the spatial context in which the cells are located. This knowledge is crucial for understanding tissue organisation and cellular cross-talk. Recent developments in multiplex imaging techniques can now offer insights into this complex spatial and functional landscape. This review provides a concise overview of these imaging methodologies, emphasising their application in identifying DCs to delineate their tissue-specific functions and aiding newcomers in navigating this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Rocca
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Galli
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Anna Celant
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Stucchi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Laura Marongiu
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Stefano Cozzi
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Metello Innocenti
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Granucci
- Department of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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2
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Monasterio G, Morales RA, Bejarano DA, Abalo XM, Fransson J, Larsson L, Schlitzer A, Lundeberg J, Das S, Villablanca EJ. A versatile tissue-rolling technique for spatial-omics analyses of the entire murine gastrointestinal tract. Nat Protoc 2024:10.1038/s41596-024-01001-2. [PMID: 38906985 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-024-01001-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
Tissues are dynamic and complex biological systems composed of specialized cell types that interact with each other for proper biological function. To comprehensively characterize and understand the cell circuitry underlying biological processes within tissues, it is crucial to preserve their spatial information. Here we report a simple mounting technique to maximize the area of the tissue to be analyzed, encompassing the whole length of the murine gastrointestinal (GI) tract, from mouth to rectum. Using this method, analysis of the whole murine GI tract can be performed in a single slide not only by means of histological staining, immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization but also by multiplexed antibody staining and spatial transcriptomic approaches. We demonstrate the utility of our method in generating a comprehensive gene and protein expression profile of the whole GI tract by combining the versatile tissue-rolling technique with a cutting-edge transcriptomics method (Visium) and two cutting-edge proteomics methods (ChipCytometry and CODEX-PhenoCycler) in a systematic and easy-to-follow step-by-step procedure. The entire process, including tissue rolling, processing and sectioning, can be achieved within 2-3 d for all three methods. For Visium spatial transcriptomics, an additional 2 d are needed, whereas for spatial proteomics assays (ChipCytometry and CODEX-PhenoCycler), another 3-4 d might be considered. The whole process can be accomplished by researchers with skills in performing murine surgery, and standard histological and molecular biology methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Monasterio
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institute and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center of Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rodrigo A Morales
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institute and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center of Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - David A Bejarano
- Quantitative Systems Biology, Life and Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Xesús M Abalo
- Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jennifer Fransson
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institute and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Center of Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ludvig Larsson
- Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Schlitzer
- Quantitative Systems Biology, Life and Medical Sciences Institute (LIMES), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Joakim Lundeberg
- Department of Gene Technology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Science for Life Laboratory, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Srustidhar Das
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institute and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Center of Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Eduardo J Villablanca
- Division of Immunology and Allergy, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska Institute and University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Center of Molecular Medicine, Stockholm, Sweden.
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3
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Kirchner J, Plesca I, Rothe R, Resag A, Löck S, Benešová I, Rupp L, Linge A, Wehner R, Krause M, Schmitz M. Type I conventional dendritic cells and CD8 + T cells predict favorable clinical outcome of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1414298. [PMID: 38938577 PMCID: PMC11208331 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1414298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most common tumor entities worldwide, with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection contributing to cancer development. Conventional therapies achieve only limited efficiency, especially in recurrent or metastatic HNSCC. As the immune landscape decisively impacts the survival of patients and treatment efficacy, this study comprehensively investigated the immunological tumor microenvironment (TME) and its association with patient outcome, with special focus on several dendritic cell (DC) and T lymphocyte subpopulations. Therefore, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor samples of 56 HNSCC patients, who have undergone resection and adjuvant radiotherapy, were analyzed by multiplex immunohistochemistry focusing on the detailed phenotypic characterization and spatial distribution of DCs, CD8+ T cells, and T-helper cell subsets in different tumor compartments. Immune cell densities and proportions were correlated with clinical characteristics of the whole HNSCC cohort and different HPV- or hypoxia-associated subcohorts. Tumor stroma was highly infiltrated by plasmacytoid DCs and T lymphocytes. Among the T-helper cells and CD8+ T cells, stromal regulatory T cells and intraepithelial exhausted CD8+ T cells expressing programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1+) and/or lymphocyte-activation gene-3 (LAG-3+) were the predominant phenotypes, indicating an immunosuppressive TME. HPV-associated tumors showed significantly higher infiltration of type I and type II conventional DCs (cDC1, cDC2) as well as several CD8+ T cell phenotypes including exhausted, activated, and proliferating T cells. On the contrary, tumors with hypoxia-associated gene signatures exhibited reduced infiltration for these immune cells. By multivariate Cox regression, immune-related prognostic factors were identified. Patient clusters defined by high infiltration of DCs and T lymphocytes combined with HPV positivity or low hypoxia showed significantly prolonged survival. Thereby, cDC1 and CD8+ T cells emerged as independent prognostic factors for local and distant recurrence. These results might contribute to the implementation of an immune cell infiltration score predicting HNSCC patients' survival and such patient stratification might improve the design of future individualized radiochemo-(immuno)therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Kirchner
- OncoRay – National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ioana Plesca
- Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Institute of Immunology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Rebecca Rothe
- Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Institute of Immunology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Antonia Resag
- Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Institute of Immunology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Steffen Löck
- OncoRay – National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Iva Benešová
- Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Institute of Immunology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Luise Rupp
- Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Institute of Immunology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Annett Linge
- OncoRay – National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Rebekka Wehner
- Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Institute of Immunology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mechthild Krause
- OncoRay – National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden – Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- Department of Radiotherapy and Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Institute of Radiooncology – OncoRay, Dresden, Germany
| | - Marc Schmitz
- Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Institute of Immunology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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4
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Hornsteiner F, Vierthaler J, Strandt H, Resag A, Fu Z, Ausserhofer M, Tripp CH, Dieckmann S, Kanduth M, Farrand K, Bregar S, Nemati N, Hermann-Kleiter N, Seretis A, Morla S, Mullins D, Finotello F, Trajanoski Z, Wollmann G, Ronchese F, Schmitz M, Hermans IF, Stoitzner P. Tumor-targeted therapy with BRAF-inhibitor recruits activated dendritic cells to promote tumor immunity in melanoma. J Immunother Cancer 2024; 12:e008606. [PMID: 38631706 PMCID: PMC11029477 DOI: 10.1136/jitc-2023-008606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor-targeted therapy causes impressive tumor regression, but the emergence of resistance limits long-term survival benefits in patients. Little information is available on the role of the myeloid cell network, especially dendritic cells (DC) during tumor-targeted therapy. METHODS Here, we investigated therapy-mediated immunological alterations in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and tumor-draining lymph nodes (LN) in the D4M.3A preclinical melanoma mouse model (harboring the V-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B (BRAF)V600E mutation) by using high-dimensional multicolor flow cytometry in combination with multiplex immunohistochemistry. This was complemented with RNA sequencing and cytokine quantification to characterize the immune status of the tumors. The importance of T cells during tumor-targeted therapy was investigated by depleting CD4+ or CD8+ T cells in tumor-bearing mice. Tumor antigen-specific T-cell responses were characterized by performing in vivo T-cell proliferation assays and the contribution of conventional type 1 DC (cDC1) to T-cell immunity during tumor-targeted therapy was assessed using Batf3-/- mice lacking cDC1. RESULTS Our findings reveal that BRAF-inhibitor therapy increased tumor immunogenicity, reflected by an upregulation of genes associated with immune activation. The T cell-inflamed TME contained higher numbers of activated cDC1 and cDC2 but also inflammatory CCR2-expressing monocytes. At the same time, tumor-targeted therapy enhanced the frequency of migratory, activated DC subsets in tumor-draining LN. Even more, we identified a cDC2 population expressing the Fc gamma receptor I (FcγRI)/CD64 in tumors and LN that displayed high levels of CD40 and CCR7 indicating involvement in T cell-mediated tumor immunity. The importance of cDC2 is underlined by just a partial loss of therapy response in a cDC1-deficient mouse model. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were essential for therapy response as their respective depletion impaired therapy success. On resistance development, the tumors reverted to an immunologically inert state with a loss of DC and inflammatory monocytes together with the accumulation of regulatory T cells. Moreover, tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T cells were compromised in proliferation and interferon-γ-production. CONCLUSION Our results give novel insights into the remodeling of the myeloid landscape by tumor-targeted therapy. We demonstrate that the transient immunogenic tumor milieu contains more activated DC. This knowledge has important implications for the development of future combinatorial therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Hornsteiner
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Janine Vierthaler
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Helen Strandt
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Antonia Resag
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Zhe Fu
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Markus Ausserhofer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Digital Science Center (DiSC), University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Christoph H Tripp
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sophie Dieckmann
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Markus Kanduth
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Kathryn Farrand
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Sarah Bregar
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Niloofar Nemati
- Biocenter, Institute of Bioinformatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Natascha Hermann-Kleiter
- Institute of Cell Genetics, Department for Genetics and Pharmacology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Athanasios Seretis
- Institute for Biomedical Aging Research, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Sudhir Morla
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - David Mullins
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, New Hampshire, USA
| | - Francesca Finotello
- Department of Molecular Biology, Digital Science Center (DiSC), University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Zlatko Trajanoski
- Biocenter, Institute of Bioinformatics, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Guido Wollmann
- Institute of Virology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Franca Ronchese
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Marc Schmitz
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden University of Technology, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ian F Hermans
- Malaghan Institute of Medical Research, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Patrizia Stoitzner
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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5
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Rupp L, Dietsche I, Kießler M, Sommer U, Muckenhuber A, Steiger K, van Eijck CWF, Richter L, Istvanffy R, Jäger C, Friess H, van Eijck CHJ, Demir IE, Reyes CM, Schmitz M. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with suppression of the B cell-centered immune landscape in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1378190. [PMID: 38629072 PMCID: PMC11018975 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1378190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is typically diagnosed at advanced stages and associated with early distant metastasis and poor survival. Besides clinical factors, the tumor microenvironment (TME) emerged as a crucial determinant of patient survival and therapy response in many tumors, including PDAC. Thus, the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and the formation of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) is associated with longer survival in PDAC. Although neoadjuvant therapy (NeoTx) has improved the management of locally advanced tumors, detailed insight into its effect on various TME components is limited. While a remodeling towards a proinflammatory state was reported for PDAC-infiltrating T cells, the effect of NeoTx on B cell subsets, including plasma cells, and TLS formation is widely unclear. We thus investigated the frequency, composition, and spatial distribution of PDAC-infiltrating B cells in primary resected (PR) versus neoadjuvant-treated patients using a novel multiplex immunohistochemistry panel. The NeoTx group displayed significantly lower frequencies of pan B cells, GC B cells, plasmablasts, and plasma cells, accompanied by a reduced abundance of TLS. This finding was supported by bulk RNA-sequencing analysis of an independent fresh frozen tissue cohort, which revealed that major B cell pathways were downregulated in the NeoTx group. We further observed that plasma cells frequently formed aggregates that localized close to TLS and that TLS+ patients displayed significantly higher plasma cell frequencies compared to TLS- patients in the PR group. Additionally, high densities of CD20+ intratumoral B cells were significantly associated with longer overall survival in the PR group. While CD20+ B cells held no prognostic value for NeoTx patients, an increased frequency of proliferating CD20+Ki67+ B cells emerged as an independent prognostic factor for longer survival in the NeoTx group. These results indicate that NeoTx differentially affects PDAC-infiltrating immune cells and may have detrimental effects on the existing B cell landscape and the formation of TLS. Gaining further insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms is crucial to overcome the intrinsic immunotherapy resistance of PDAC and develop novel strategies to improve the long-term outcome of PDAC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Rupp
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Ina Dietsche
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Maximilian Kießler
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Neural Influences in Cancer (NIC), International Research Consortium, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ulrich Sommer
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alexander Muckenhuber
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Katja Steiger
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Casper W. F. van Eijck
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Center, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Leonard Richter
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Rouzanna Istvanffy
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Carsten Jäger
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Helmut Friess
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Casper H. J. van Eijck
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands
- Genetic and Molecular Epidemiology Group, Spanish National Cancer Research Center, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ihsan Ekin Demir
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Neural Influences in Cancer (NIC), International Research Consortium, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
- Department of General Surgery, Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) Unit, School of Medicine, Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University, Istanbul, Türkiye
- Else Kröner Clinician Scientist Professor for Translational Pancreatic Surgery, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Carmen Mota Reyes
- Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
- Neural Influences in Cancer (NIC), International Research Consortium, Munich, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Marc Schmitz
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technical University Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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6
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Heras-Murillo I, Adán-Barrientos I, Galán M, Wculek SK, Sancho D. Dendritic cells as orchestrators of anticancer immunity and immunotherapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2024; 21:257-277. [PMID: 38326563 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-024-00859-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
Dendritic cells (DCs) are a heterogeneous group of antigen-presenting innate immune cells that regulate adaptive immunity, including against cancer. Therefore, understanding the precise activities of DCs in tumours and patients with cancer is important. The classification of DC subsets has historically been based on ontogeny; however, single-cell analyses are now additionally revealing a diversity of functional states of DCs in cancer. DCs can promote the activation of potent antitumour T cells and immune responses via numerous mechanisms, although they can also be hijacked by tumour-mediated factors to contribute to immune tolerance and cancer progression. Consequently, DC activities are often key determinants of the efficacy of immunotherapies, including immune-checkpoint inhibitors. Potentiating the antitumour functions of DCs or using them as tools to orchestrate short-term and long-term anticancer immunity has immense but as-yet underexploited therapeutic potential. In this Review, we outline the nature and emerging complexity of DC states as well as their functions in regulating adaptive immunity across different cancer types. We also describe how DCs are required for the success of current immunotherapies and explore the inherent potential of targeting DCs for cancer therapy. We focus on novel insights on DCs derived from patients with different cancers, single-cell studies of DCs and their relevance to therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignacio Heras-Murillo
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Adán-Barrientos
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Miguel Galán
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Stefanie K Wculek
- Innate Immune Biology Laboratory, Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain.
| | - David Sancho
- Immunobiology Laboratory, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain.
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7
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Wyczanska M, Thalmeier F, Keller U, Klaus R, Narasimhan H, Ji X, Schraml BU, Wackerbarth LM, Lange-Sperandio B. Interleukin-10 enhances recruitment of immune cells in the neonatal mouse model of obstructive nephropathy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5495. [PMID: 38448513 PMCID: PMC10917785 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55469-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Urinary tract obstruction during renal development leads to inflammation, leukocyte infiltration, tubular cell death, and interstitial fibrosis. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is an anti-inflammatory cytokine, produced mainly by monocytes/macrophages and regulatory T-cells. IL-10 inhibits innate and adaptive immune responses. IL-10 has a protective role in the adult model of obstructive uropathy. However, its role in neonatal obstructive uropathy is still unclear which led us to study the role of IL-10 in neonatal mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). UUO serves as a model for congenital obstructive nephropathies, a leading cause of kidney failure in children. Newborn Il-10-/- and C57BL/6 wildtype-mice (WT) were subjected to complete UUO or sham-operation on the 2nd day of life. Neonatal kidneys were harvested at day 3, 7, and 14 of life and analyzed for different leukocyte subpopulations by FACS, for cytokines and chemokines by Luminex assay and ELISA, and for inflammation, programmed cell death, and fibrosis by immunohistochemistry and western blot. Compared to WT mice, Il-10-/- mice showed reduced infiltration of neutrophils, CD11bhi cells, conventional type 1 dendritic cells, and T-cells following UUO. Il-10-/- mice with UUO also showed a reduction in pro-inflammatory cytokine and chemokine release compared to WT with UUO, mainly of IP-10, IL-1α, MIP-2α and IL-17A. In addition, Il-10-/- mice showed less necroptosis after UUO while the rate of apoptosis was not different. Finally, α-SMA and collagen abundance as readout for fibrosis were similar in Il-10-/- and WT with UUO. Surprisingly and in contrast to adult Il-10-/- mice undergoing UUO, neonatal Il-10-/- mice with UUO showed a reduced inflammatory response compared to respective WT control mice with UUO. Notably, long term changes such as renal fibrosis were not different between neonatal Il-10-/- and neonatal WT mice with UUO suggesting that IL-10 signaling is different in neonates and adults with UUO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Wyczanska
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. v. Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Lindwurmstraße 4, 80337, Munich, Germany
| | - Franziska Thalmeier
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. v. Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Lindwurmstraße 4, 80337, Munich, Germany
| | - Ursula Keller
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. v. Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Lindwurmstraße 4, 80337, Munich, Germany
| | - Richard Klaus
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. v. Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Lindwurmstraße 4, 80337, Munich, Germany
| | - Hamsa Narasimhan
- Biomedical Center, Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Xingqi Ji
- Biomedical Center, Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Barbara U Schraml
- Biomedical Center, Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Lou M Wackerbarth
- Biomedical Center, Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Bärbel Lange-Sperandio
- Department of Pediatrics, Dr. v. Hauner Children's Hospital, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Lindwurmstraße 4, 80337, Munich, Germany.
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8
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Bejarano DA, Schlitzer A. Unveiling Macrophage Heterogeneity and Their Spatial Distribution Using Multiplexed Tissue Imaging. Methods Mol Biol 2024; 2713:281-296. [PMID: 37639130 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3437-0_19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Macrophages display a high degree of phenotypic diversity and plasticity, which is influenced by their location within the tissue microenvironment. Co-Detection by Indexing (CODEX), a multiplexed imaging technique, allows the simultaneous detection of multiple membrane and cellular markers that enable the accurate identification of tissue-resident hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells, while conferring spatial information at a single-cell level. Here we describe the use of CODEX to visualize the phenotypic and spatial heterogeneity of murine tissue-resident macrophages in several organs, and a pipeline to characterize their cellular microenvironments and interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andreas Schlitzer
- Quantitative Systems Biology, LIMES Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
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9
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Loureiro LR, Hoffmann L, Neuber C, Rupp L, Arndt C, Kegler A, Kubeil M, Hagemeyer CE, Stephan H, Schmitz M, Feldmann A, Bachmann M. Immunotheranostic target modules for imaging and navigation of UniCAR T-cells to strike FAP-expressing cells and the tumor microenvironment. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:341. [PMID: 38102692 PMCID: PMC10722841 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02912-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cells are a promising approach in cancer immunotherapy, particularly for treating hematologic malignancies. Yet, their effectiveness is limited when tackling solid tumors, where immune cell infiltration and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironments (TME) are major hurdles. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is highly expressed on cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and various tumor cells, playing an important role in tumor growth and immunosuppression. Aiming to modulate the TME with increased clinical safety and effectiveness, we developed novel small and size-extended immunotheranostic UniCAR target modules (TMs) targeting FAP. METHODS The specific binding and functionality of the αFAP-scFv TM and the size-extended αFAP-IgG4 TM were assessed using 2D and 3D in vitro models as well as in vivo. Their specific tumor accumulation and diagnostic potential were evaluated using PET studies after functionalization with a chelator and suitable radionuclide. RESULTS The αFAP-scFv and -IgG4 TMs effectively and specifically redirected UniCAR T-cells using 2D, 3D, and in vivo models. Moreover, a remarkably high and specific accumulation of radiolabeled FAP-targeting TMs at the tumor site of xenograft mouse models was observed. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that the novel αFAP TMs are promising immunotheranostic tools to foster cancer imaging and treatment, paving the way for a more convenient, individualized, and safer treatment of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana R Loureiro
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany.
| | - Lydia Hoffmann
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
| | - Christin Neuber
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
| | - Luise Rupp
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Claudia Arndt
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
- Mildred Scheel Early Career Center, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alexandra Kegler
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
| | - Manja Kubeil
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
| | - Christoph E Hagemeyer
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Holger Stephan
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
| | - Marc Schmitz
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Anja Feldmann
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany.
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Michael Bachmann
- Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany.
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), partner site Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
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10
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Meiser P, Knolle MA, Hirschberger A, de Almeida GP, Bayerl F, Lacher S, Pedde AM, Flommersfeld S, Hönninger J, Stark L, Stögbauer F, Anton M, Wirth M, Wohlleber D, Steiger K, Buchholz VR, Wollenberg B, Zielinski CE, Braren R, Rueckert D, Knolle PA, Kaissis G, Böttcher JP. A distinct stimulatory cDC1 subpopulation amplifies CD8 + T cell responses in tumors for protective anti-cancer immunity. Cancer Cell 2023; 41:1498-1515.e10. [PMID: 37451271 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2023.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1) can support T cell responses within tumors but whether this determines protective versus ineffective anti-cancer immunity is poorly understood. Here, we use imaging-based deep learning to identify intratumoral cDC1-CD8+ T cell clustering as a unique feature of protective anti-cancer immunity. These clusters form selectively in stromal tumor regions and constitute niches in which cDC1 activate TCF1+ stem-like CD8+ T cells. We identify a distinct population of immunostimulatory CCR7neg cDC1 that produce CXCL9 to promote cluster formation and cross-present tumor antigens within these niches, which is required for intratumoral CD8+ T cell differentiation and expansion and promotes cancer immune control. Similarly, in human cancers, CCR7neg cDC1 interact with CD8+ T cells in clusters and are associated with patient survival. Our findings reveal an intratumoral phase of the anti-cancer T cell response orchestrated by tumor-residing cDC1 that determines protective versus ineffective immunity and could be exploited for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippa Meiser
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Moritz A Knolle
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Healthcare, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany; Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany; Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Anna Hirschberger
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Gustavo P de Almeida
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Immunology, School of Life Science, TUM, Freising, Germany; Institute of Virology, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Felix Bayerl
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian Lacher
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Anna-Marie Pedde
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Sophie Flommersfeld
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Julian Hönninger
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany; Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Leonhard Stark
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Fabian Stögbauer
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Martina Anton
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Markus Wirth
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Dirk Wohlleber
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany
| | - Katja Steiger
- Institute of Pathology, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany; Comparative Experimental Pathology, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany; German Cancer Consortium, partner site Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Veit R Buchholz
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Barbara Wollenberg
- Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Christina E Zielinski
- Department of Infection Immunology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology, Hans-Knöll-Institute, Jena, Germany; Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | - Rickmer Braren
- Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Daniel Rueckert
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Healthcare, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany; Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, UK; Chair for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine and Healthcare, School of Medicine and School of Computation, Information and Technology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, TUM, Munich, Germany
| | - Percy A Knolle
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany; Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Life Science, TUM, Freising, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, Munich site, Munich, Germany
| | - Georgios Kaissis
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Healthcare, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany; Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, School of Medicine, TUM, Munich, Germany; Department of Computing, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jan P Böttcher
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich (TUM), Munich, Germany.
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11
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Bayerl F, Meiser P, Donakonda S, Hirschberger A, Lacher SB, Pedde AM, Hermann CD, Elewaut A, Knolle M, Ramsauer L, Rudolph TJ, Grassmann S, Öllinger R, Kirchhammer N, Trefny M, Anton M, Wohlleber D, Höchst B, Zaremba A, Krüger A, Rad R, Obenauf AC, Schadendorf D, Zippelius A, Buchholz VR, Schraml BU, Böttcher JP. Tumor-derived prostaglandin E2 programs cDC1 dysfunction to impair intratumoral orchestration of anti-cancer T cell responses. Immunity 2023; 56:1341-1358.e11. [PMID: 37315536 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1s) are critical for anti-cancer immunity. Protective anti-cancer immunity is thought to require cDC1s to sustain T cell responses within tumors, but it is poorly understood how this function is regulated and whether its subversion contributes to immune evasion. Here, we show that tumor-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) programmed a dysfunctional state in intratumoral cDC1s, disabling their ability to locally orchestrate anti-cancer CD8+ T cell responses. Mechanistically, cAMP signaling downstream of the PGE2-receptors EP2 and EP4 was responsible for the programming of cDC1 dysfunction, which depended on the loss of the transcription factor IRF8. Blockade of the PGE2-EP2/EP4-cDC1 axis prevented cDC1 dysfunction in tumors, locally reinvigorated anti-cancer CD8+ T cell responses, and achieved cancer immune control. In human cDC1s, PGE2-induced dysfunction is conserved and associated with poor cancer patient prognosis. Our findings reveal a cDC1-dependent intratumoral checkpoint for anti-cancer immunity that is targeted by PGE2 for immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Bayerl
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Philippa Meiser
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sainitin Donakonda
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany; German Center for Infection Research, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna Hirschberger
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Sebastian B Lacher
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna-Marie Pedde
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Chris D Hermann
- Institute of Experimental Oncology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Anais Elewaut
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Moritz Knolle
- Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine & Healthcare, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Lukas Ramsauer
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Thomas J Rudolph
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Simon Grassmann
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Rupert Öllinger
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nicole Kirchhammer
- Cancer Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marcel Trefny
- Cancer Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martina Anton
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Dirk Wohlleber
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Bastian Höchst
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Anne Zaremba
- Department for Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Achim Krüger
- Institute of Experimental Oncology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Roland Rad
- Institute of Molecular Oncology and Functional Genomics, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Anna C Obenauf
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna Biocenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - Dirk Schadendorf
- Department for Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Alfred Zippelius
- Cancer Immunology, Department of Biomedicine, University and University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Veit R Buchholz
- Institute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Hygiene, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Barbara U Schraml
- Walter-Brendel Center for Experimental Medicine, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany; Biomedical Center, Institute for Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, LMU Munich, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Jan P Böttcher
- Institute of Molecular Immunology, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
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12
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Rupp L, Resag A, Potkrajcic V, Warm V, Wehner R, Jöhrens K, Bösmüller H, Eckert F, Schmitz M. Prognostic impact of the post-treatment T cell composition and spatial organization in soft tissue sarcoma patients treated with neoadjuvant hyperthermic radio(chemo)therapy. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1185197. [PMID: 37261361 PMCID: PMC10228739 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1185197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) form a heterogeneous group of tumors sharing a mesenchymal origin. Despite good local control of the disease, the occurrence of distant metastases often limits survival of STS patients with localized, high-risk tumors of the extremities. Accumulating evidence suggests a central role for the tumor immune microenvironment in determining the clinical outcome and response to therapy. Thus, it has been reported that STS patients with a high immune signature and especially presence of B cells and tertiary lymphoid structures display improved overall survival and response to checkpoint inhibitor treatment. Here, we explored the effect of curative multimodal therapy on the T cell landscape of STS using multiplex immunohistochemistry. We analyzed the phenotype, frequency, and spatial distribution of STS-infiltrating CD8+ T cells by staining for CD8, 4-1BB, Granzyme B, Ki67, PD-1, and LAG-3 as well as CD3+ T helper cells using a panel consisting of CD3, T-bet, GATA3, RORγT, FoxP3, and Ki67. All patients received neoadjuvant radiotherapy plus locoregional hyperthermia with or without chemotherapy. While the treatment-naïve biopsy sample allows an analysis of baseline T cell infiltration levels, both intra- and peritumoral areas of the matched resected tissue were analyzed to assess composition and spatial distribution of the T cell compartment and its therapeutic modulation. Generally, post-treatment tissues displayed lower frequencies of CD3+ and CD8+ T cells. Association with clinical data revealed that higher post-treatment frequencies of peritumoral and intratumoral CD3+ T cells and intratumoral PD-1+ CD8+ T cells were significantly associated with improved disease-free survival (DFS), while these densities had no prognostic significance in the biopsy. Upon spatial analysis, a high ratio of intratumoral to peritumoral CD8+ T cells emerged as an independent prognostic marker for longer DFS. These results indicate that the STS T cell landscape is altered by multimodal therapy and may influence the clinical outcome of patients. An enhanced understanding of the STS immune architecture and its modulation by neoadjuvant therapy may pave the way towards novel treatment modalities and improve the long-term clinical outcome of STS patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luise Rupp
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Antonia Resag
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Vlatko Potkrajcic
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Verena Warm
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Rebekka Wehner
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Korinna Jöhrens
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hans Bösmüller
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Franziska Eckert
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Comprehensive Cancer Center Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marc Schmitz
- Institute of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität (TU) Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Partner Site Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
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