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He S, Gubin MM, Rafei H, Basar R, Dede M, Jiang X, Liang Q, Tan Y, Kim K, Gillison ML, Rezvani K, Peng W, Haymaker C, Hernandez S, Solis LM, Mohanty V, Chen K. Elucidating immune-related gene transcriptional programs via factorization of large-scale RNA-profiles. iScience 2024; 27:110096. [PMID: 38957791 PMCID: PMC11217617 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.110096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent developments in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and adoptive cell therapy (ACT), have encountered challenges such as immune-related adverse events and resistance, especially in solid tumors. To advance the field, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind treatment responses and resistance is essential. However, the lack of functionally characterized immune-related gene sets has limited data-driven immunological research. To address this gap, we adopted non-negative matrix factorization on 83 human bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) datasets and constructed 28 immune-specific gene sets. After rigorous immunologist-led manual annotations and orthogonal validations across immunological contexts and functional omics data, we demonstrated that these gene sets can be applied to refine pan-cancer immune subtypes, improve ICB response prediction and functionally annotate spatial transcriptomic data. These functional gene sets, informing diverse immune states, will advance our understanding of immunology and cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan He
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Matthew M. Gubin
- Department of Immunology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hind Rafei
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rafet Basar
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Merve Dede
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xianli Jiang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Qingnan Liang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yukun Tan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kunhee Kim
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Maura L. Gillison
- Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical Oncology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Katayoun Rezvani
- Department of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Weiyi Peng
- Department of Biology and Biochemistry, The University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Cara Haymaker
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sharia Hernandez
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Luisa M. Solis
- Department of Translational Molecular Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Vakul Mohanty
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ken Chen
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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He S, Gubin MM, Rafei H, Basar R, Dede M, Jiang X, Liang Q, Tan Y, Kim K, Gillison ML, Rezvani K, Peng W, Haymaker C, Hernandez S, Solis LM, Mohanty V, Chen K. Elucidating immune-related gene transcriptional programs via factorization of large-scale RNA-profiles. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.10.593433. [PMID: 38798470 PMCID: PMC11118452 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.10.593433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Recent developments in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and adoptive cell therapy, have encountered challenges such as immune-related adverse events and resistance, especially in solid tumors. To advance the field, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind treatment responses and resistance is essential. However, the lack of functionally characterized immune-related gene sets has limited data-driven immunological research. To address this gap, we adopted non-negative matrix factorization on 83 human bulk RNA-seq datasets and constructed 28 immune-specific gene sets. After rigorous immunologist-led manual annotations and orthogonal validations across immunological contexts and functional omics data, we demonstrated that these gene sets can be applied to refine pan-cancer immune subtypes, improve ICB response prediction and functionally annotate spatial transcriptomic data. These functional gene sets, informing diverse immune states, will advance our understanding of immunology and cancer research.
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Boccarelli A, Del Buono N, Esposito F. Review of Patient Gene Profiles Obtained through a Non-Negative Matrix Factorization-Based Framework to Determine the Role Inflammation Plays in Neuroblastoma Pathogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4406. [PMID: 38673990 PMCID: PMC11050151 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children. It is a highly heterogeneous tumor consisting of different subcellular types and genetic abnormalities. Literature data confirm the biological and clinical complexity of this cancer, which requires a wider availability of gene targets for the implementation of personalized therapy. This paper presents a study of neuroblastoma samples from primary tumors of untreated patients. The focus of this analysis is to evaluate the impact that the inflammatory process may have on the pathogenesis of neuroblastoma. Eighty-eight gene profiles were selected and analyzed using a non-negative matrix factorization framework to extract a subset of genes relevant to the identification of an inflammatory phenotype, whose targets (PIK3CG, NFATC2, PIK3R2, VAV1, RAC2, COL6A2, COL6A3, COL12A1, COL14A1, ITGAL, ITGB7, FOS, PTGS2, PTPRC, ITPR3) allow further investigation. Based on the genetic signals automatically derived from the data used, neuroblastoma could be classified according to stage rather than as a "cold" or "poorly immunogenic" tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelina Boccarelli
- Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Polo Jonico, School of Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70121 Bari, Italy;
| | - Nicoletta Del Buono
- Department of Mathematics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Edoardo Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy;
| | - Flavia Esposito
- Department of Mathematics, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Via Edoardo Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy;
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Saul D, Leite Barros L, Wixom AQ, Gellhaus B, Gibbons HR, Faubion WA, Kosinsky RL. Cell Type-Specific Induction of Inflammation-Associated Genes in Crohn’s Disease and Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063082. [PMID: 35328501 PMCID: PMC8955412 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Based on the rapid increase in incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the identification of susceptibility genes and cell populations contributing to this condition is essential. Previous studies suggested multiple genes associated with the susceptibility of IBD; however, due to the analysis of whole-tissue samples, the contribution of individual cell populations remains widely unresolved. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides the opportunity to identify underlying cellular populations. We determined the enrichment of Crohn’s disease (CD)-induced genes in a publicly available Crohn’s disease scRNA-seq dataset and detected the strongest induction of these genes in innate lymphoid cells (ILC1), highly activated T cells and dendritic cells, pericytes and activated fibroblasts, as well as epithelial cells. Notably, these genes were highly enriched in IBD-associated neoplasia, as well as sporadic colorectal cancer (CRC). Indeed, the same six cell populations displayed an upregulation of CD-induced genes in a CRC scRNA-seq dataset. Finally, after integrating and harmonizing the CD and CRC scRNA-seq data, we demonstrated that these six cell types display a gradual increase in gene expression levels from a healthy state to an inflammatory and tumorous state. Together, we identified cell populations that specifically upregulate CD-induced genes in CD and CRC patients and could, therefore, contribute to inflammation-associated tumor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Saul
- Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Robert and Arlene Kogod Center on Aging, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
- Department of Trauma, Orthopedics and Reconstructive Surgery, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany;
- Correspondence: (D.S.); (R.L.K.)
| | - Luísa Leite Barros
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (L.L.B.); (A.Q.W.); (H.R.G.); (W.A.F.)
- Department of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05403-000, Brazil
| | - Alexander Q. Wixom
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (L.L.B.); (A.Q.W.); (H.R.G.); (W.A.F.)
| | - Benjamin Gellhaus
- Department of Trauma, Orthopedics and Reconstructive Surgery, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany;
| | - Hunter R. Gibbons
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (L.L.B.); (A.Q.W.); (H.R.G.); (W.A.F.)
| | - William A. Faubion
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (L.L.B.); (A.Q.W.); (H.R.G.); (W.A.F.)
| | - Robyn Laura Kosinsky
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (L.L.B.); (A.Q.W.); (H.R.G.); (W.A.F.)
- Correspondence: (D.S.); (R.L.K.)
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