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Battista RA, Pini GM, Finco A, Corso F, Galli A, Arrigoni G, Doglioni C, Callea M, Paccagnella M, Porcu L, Filipello F, Mazzola M, Foggetti G, Gregorc V, Giordano L, Bussi M, Mirabile A, Veronesi G. From Tumor Macroenvironment to Tumor Microenvironment: The Prognostic Role of the Immune System in Oral and Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2759. [PMID: 39123486 PMCID: PMC11312115 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16152759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 08/01/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The interplay between cancer cells and the immune system is crucial in cancer progression and treatment. In this regard, the tumor immune microenvironment and macroenvironment, marked by systemic inflammation markers and TILs, could be considered key prognostic factors in tumors, including oral and lung squamous cell carcinoma. METHODS We conducted a retrospective clinical study on patients with Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) and Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma (LUSCC), examining stages, comorbidities, treatments, and outcomes. We evaluated the prognostic significance of pre-surgical systemic inflammation markers and tumor microenvironment composition. RESULTS Associations were found between systemic inflammation markers-NLR, MLR, and PLR-and tumor microenvironment factors, such as TILs and CD8+ cell prevalence-elevated inflammation markers correlated with advanced stages. Specifically, NLR was prognostic in OSCC, whereas PLR was prognostic in LUSCC. Using a cutoff value, we divided our tumor samples into two prognostic groups. Moreover, TILs levels >15% of tumor stroma correlated with prolonged overall survival in both OSCC and LUSCC, while increased CD8+ expression was linked to extended disease-free survival in LUSCC. DISCUSSION Systemic inflammation markers and TILs can be valuable prognostic factors of survival, highlighting the immune response's role in OSCC and LUSCC. Despite limited clinical integration of the presented cohorts due to a lack of standardization, we concluded that analyzing tumor immune profiles may offer novel prognostic insights. CONCLUSIONS Future integration into cancer classification could improve risk stratification and treatment guidance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa Alessia Battista
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy; (R.A.B.); (A.F.); (F.C.); (A.G.); (C.D.); (G.F.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (G.V.)
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Giacomo Maria Pini
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy; (G.M.P.); (G.A.); (M.C.); (F.F.)
| | - Alex Finco
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy; (R.A.B.); (A.F.); (F.C.); (A.G.); (C.D.); (G.F.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (G.V.)
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo Corso
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy; (R.A.B.); (A.F.); (F.C.); (A.G.); (C.D.); (G.F.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (G.V.)
| | - Andrea Galli
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy; (R.A.B.); (A.F.); (F.C.); (A.G.); (C.D.); (G.F.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (G.V.)
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Arrigoni
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy; (G.M.P.); (G.A.); (M.C.); (F.F.)
| | - Claudio Doglioni
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy; (R.A.B.); (A.F.); (F.C.); (A.G.); (C.D.); (G.F.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (G.V.)
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy; (G.M.P.); (G.A.); (M.C.); (F.F.)
| | - Marcella Callea
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy; (G.M.P.); (G.A.); (M.C.); (F.F.)
| | | | - Luca Porcu
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, Li Ka Shing Centre, University of Cambridge, Robinson Way, Cambridge CB2 0RE, UK;
| | - Federica Filipello
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy; (G.M.P.); (G.A.); (M.C.); (F.F.)
- Division of Pathology, Ospedale Michele e Pietro Ferrero, Verduno, 12060 Cuneo, Italy
| | - Marco Mazzola
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Verona, 37129 Verona, Italy;
| | - Giorgia Foggetti
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy; (R.A.B.); (A.F.); (F.C.); (A.G.); (C.D.); (G.F.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (G.V.)
- Division of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Vanesa Gregorc
- Clinical Research and Innovation, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, 10060 Candiolo, Italy;
| | - Leone Giordano
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy; (R.A.B.); (A.F.); (F.C.); (A.G.); (C.D.); (G.F.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (G.V.)
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Bussi
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy; (R.A.B.); (A.F.); (F.C.); (A.G.); (C.D.); (G.F.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (G.V.)
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Aurora Mirabile
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
| | - Giulia Veronesi
- Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, 20132 Milan, Italy; (R.A.B.); (A.F.); (F.C.); (A.G.); (C.D.); (G.F.); (L.G.); (M.B.); (G.V.)
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy
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Pakkanen P, Ilmarinen T, Halme E, Irjala H, Koivunen P, Pukkila M, Ventelä S, Almangush A, Birkman EM, Lindgren O, Pohjolainen V, Sjöblom N, Haglund C, Hagström J, Aaltonen LM. Programmed death-ligand 1 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) - low TIL density may predict poorer long-term prognosis in T1 laryngeal cancer. Virchows Arch 2024; 485:315-322. [PMID: 37462760 PMCID: PMC11329626 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-023-03586-7] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated the prognostic role of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in T1 glottic laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). T1 glottic LSCC patients (n = 174) treated at five Finnish university hospitals between 2003 and 2013 were included. Tissue microarray (TMA) blocks were used for PD-L1 immunohistochemistry. TILs were scored from intratumoral and stromal regions in whole tissue sections. Of 174 patients, 92 (53%) had negative, 66 (38%) intermediate, and 16 (9%) high PD-L1 levels. Of 80 patients whose TILs were analyzed, 50 (63%) had low and 30 (38%) high stromal TIL density. Patients with a local recurrence or a new primary tumor of the larynx had lower TIL density than had other patients (p = 0.047). High PD-L1 expression with low stromal TIL density was associated with inferior 5-year disease-specific survival (85% vs. 100%, p = 0.02). In conclusion, in patients treated for T1 glottic LSCC, low stromal TIL density was associated with local recurrences and new primary tumors of the larynx. High PD-L1 expression with low stromal TIL density may be associated with worse survival in T1 glottic LSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pihla Pakkanen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Taru Ilmarinen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elina Halme
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tampere and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Heikki Irjala
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Petri Koivunen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Matti Pukkila
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Sami Ventelä
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Alhadi Almangush
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eva-Maria Birkman
- Department of Pathology, University of Turku and Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland
| | - Outi Lindgren
- Department of Pathology, University of Oulu and Oulu University Hospital, Oulu, Finland
| | - Virva Pohjolainen
- Fimlab Laboratories, Department of Pathology, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Nelli Sjöblom
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Caj Haglund
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jaana Hagström
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Oral Pathology and Radiology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Leena-Maija Aaltonen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
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Al Assaad M, Safa H, Mercinelli C, Spiess PE, Necchi A, Chahoud J. Immune-based Therapies for Penile Cancer. Urol Clin North Am 2024; 51:355-365. [PMID: 38925738 DOI: 10.1016/j.ucl.2024.03.014] [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] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
This article reviews penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC), a rare genitourinary cancer that has been increasing in prevalence. It discusses emerging therapies, focusing on immunotherapy, vaccine therapy, and cell-based treatments, especially in the context of human papillomavirus-related PSCC. Factors influencing these therapies are discussed. These include the immune microenvironment, programmed cell death ligand-1 expression, and tumor immune cell infiltration. This article also highlights immune checkpoint inhibitors and related clinical trials. This review supports the use of personalized medicine in treating PSCC. It stresses the need for collaborative studies and data sharing to create specific treatment plans and achieve better outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Majd Al Assaad
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, 413 East 69th Street, Belfer Research Building, New York, NY 10021, USA.
| | - Houssein Safa
- Department of Hematology/Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Chiara Mercinelli
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital; Medical Oncology Unit 2, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Via Olgettina 60, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Philippe E Spiess
- Department of Genitourinary Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive office 12538, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Andrea Necchi
- Department of Medical Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital; Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Via Olgettina 60, Milan 20132, Italy
| | - Jad Chahoud
- Department of Genitourinary Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive office 12538, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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Shivarudrappa AH, John J, Vashisht M, Ge H, Liu S, Chen J, Siddoway K, Dong R, Chen Z, Wang JH. Differential tumor immune microenvironment coupled with tumor progression or tumor eradication in HPV-antigen expressing squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) models. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1405318. [PMID: 39055715 PMCID: PMC11269233 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1405318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Human papilloma virus (HPV) is an etiological factor of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). To investigate the role of HPV antigen in anti-tumor immunity, we established mouse models by expressing HPV16 E6 and E7 in a SCC tumor cell line. We obtained two HPV antigen-expressing clones (C-225 and C-100) transplantable into C57BL/6 recipients. We found that C-225 elicited complete eradication in C57BL/6 mice (eradicated), whereas C-100 grew progressively (growing). We examined immune tumor microenvironment (TME) using flow cytometry and found that eradicated or growing tumors exhibited differential immune profiles that may influence the outcome of anti-tumor immunity. Surprisingly, the percentage of CD8 and CD4 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) was much higher in growing (C-100) than eradicated (C-225) tumor. However, the TILs upregulated PD-1 and LAG-3 more potently and exhibited impaired effector functions in growing tumor compared to their counterparts in eradicated tumor. C-225 TME is highly enriched with myeloid cells, especially polymorphonuclear (PMN) myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC), whereas the percentage of M-MDSC and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) was much higher in C-100 TME, especially M2-TAMs (CD206+). The complete eradication of C-225 depended on CD8 T cells and elicited anti-tumor memory responses upon secondary tumor challenge. We employed DNA sequencing to identify differences in the T cell receptor of peripheral blood lymphocytes pre- and post-secondary tumor challenge. Lastly, C-225 and C-100 tumor lines harbored different somatic mutations. Overall, we uncovered differential immune TME that may underlie the divergent outcomes of anti-tumor immunity by establishing two SCC tumor lines, both of which express HPV16 E6 and E7 antigens. Our experimental models may provide a platform for pinpointing tumor-intrinsic versus host-intrinsic differences in orchestrating an immunosuppressive TME in HNSCCs and for identifying new targets that render tumor cells vulnerable to immune attack.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpitha H. Shivarudrappa
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jessy John
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Monika Vashisht
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Huaibin Ge
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Silvia Liu
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jingxin Chen
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Karen Siddoway
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Rui Dong
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jing H. Wang
- University of Pittsburgh Medical Center UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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5
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Luan J, Liu Y, Cao M, Guo X, Guo N. The pathogenic response of cytotoxic T‑lymphocytes, a common therapeutic target for cancer, has a direct impact on treatment outcomes (Review). Oncol Rep 2024; 52:98. [PMID: 38904200 PMCID: PMC11200153 DOI: 10.3892/or.2024.8757] [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: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), also known as CD8+ T cells, participate in immune function by secreting various cytokines after recognizing specific antigens and class I major histocompatibility complex molecules associated with tumor cells, and thus have a key role in antitumor immunity. However, certain CD8+ T cells show low reactivity and thus cannot effectively remove tumor cells or viral antigens. Due to this heterogeneity, effective biomarkers representing these differences in CD8+ cells are needed. The identification of suitable biomarkers will also enhance the management of cancer treatment. Recent research has improved the understanding of CD8+ T lymphocytes in the tumor microenvironment and circulatory system. Treatment efficacy is impacted directly by the pathogenic response of CTLs, and thus, the use of adjuvant therapies to address these pathological changes, e.g., stimulating the increase in the proportion of reactive T cells or suppressing the proportion of terminally exhausted T cells, would be advantageous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Luan
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, P.R. China
| | - Yuxin Liu
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, P.R. China
| | - Meng Cao
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, P.R. China
| | - Xianing Guo
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Brain Disorders, Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, P.R. China
| | - Na Guo
- Institute of Basic and Translational Medicine, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710021, P.R. China
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Moynihan KD, Kumar MP, Sultan H, Pappas DC, Park T, Chin SM, Bessette P, Lan RY, Nguyen HC, Mathewson ND, Ni I, Chen W, Lee Y, Liao-Chan S, Chen J, Schumacher TN, Schreiber RD, Yeung YA, Djuretic IM. IL2 Targeted to CD8+ T Cells Promotes Robust Effector T-cell Responses and Potent Antitumor Immunity. Cancer Discov 2024; 14:1206-1225. [PMID: 38563906 PMCID: PMC11215410 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-23-1266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
IL2 signals pleiotropically on diverse cell types, some of which contribute to therapeutic activity against tumors, whereas others drive undesired activity, such as immunosuppression or toxicity. We explored the theory that targeting of IL2 to CD8+ T cells, which are key antitumor effectors, could enhance its therapeutic index. To this aim, we developed AB248, a CD8 cis-targeted IL2 that demonstrates over 500-fold preference for CD8+ T cells over natural killer and regulatory T cells (Tregs), which may contribute to toxicity and immunosuppression, respectively. AB248 recapitulated IL2's effects on CD8+ T cells in vitro and induced selective expansion of CD8+T cells in primates. In mice, an AB248 surrogate demonstrated superior antitumor activity and enhanced tolerability as compared with an untargeted IL2Rβγ agonist. Efficacy was associated with the expansion and phenotypic enhancement of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells, including the emergence of a "better effector" population. These data support the potential utility of AB248 in clinical settings. Significance: The full potential of IL2 therapy remains to be unlocked. We demonstrate that toxicity can be decoupled from antitumor activity in preclinical models by limiting IL2 signaling to CD8+ T cells, supporting the development of CD8+ T cell-selective IL2 for the treatment of cancer. See related article by Kaptein et al. p. 1226.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manu P. Kumar
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | - Hussein Sultan
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
| | | | - Terrence Park
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | - S. Michael Chin
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | - Paul Bessette
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | - Ruth Y. Lan
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | - Henry C. Nguyen
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | | | - Irene Ni
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | - Wei Chen
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | - Yonghee Lee
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | - Sindy Liao-Chan
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | - Jessie Chen
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
| | - Ton N.M. Schumacher
- Division of Molecular Oncology and Immunology, Oncode Institute, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam; Department of Hematology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Robert D. Schreiber
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri.
| | - Yik A. Yeung
- Asher Biotherapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, California.
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Weng KG, Lei HK, Shen DS, Wang Y, Zhu XD. Treatment-Related Lymphopenia is Possibly a Marker of Good Prognosis in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: a Propensity-Score Matching Analysis. Cancer Manag Res 2024; 16:603-616. [PMID: 38855327 PMCID: PMC11162643 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s456717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose The aims of the study were to monitor circulating lymphocyte subset counts before and after therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), and investigate their relationships with patient outcomes. Patients and Methods Subjects comprised patients with TNM stage I-IVA NPC who underwent radiotherapy. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected before and after treatment. Lymphocyte subset counts were analyzed by flow cytometry. Differences between post-treatment and baseline counts were calculated to determine Δ values. Patients were divided into high and low groups, based on median lymphocyte subset counts; propensity score matching was applied to balance groups. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were plotted using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared using a Log rank test. Relationships between lymphocyte subset counts and patient survival were subjected to Cox regression analysis. Results Patients with NPC (n=746) were enrolled from 2012-2022. Higher CD8+ and total T cell baseline counts were associated with better 5-year PFS (73.7% vs 63.1%, P=0.002 and 73.8% vs 64.1%, P=0.005, respectively). Similarly, higher Δ values of CD4+ and total T cells were associated with higher 5-year PFS (76.2% vs 63.5%, P=0.001; 74.3% vs 65.4%, P=0.010) and OS (89.8% vs 81.6%, P=0.005; 88.6% vs 82.5%, P=0.009). Multivariate Cox regression revealed that CD8+ (hazard ratio (HR) 0.651, P=0.002) and total T (HR 0.600, P<0.001) cells were significantly associated with PFS. CD4+ (HR 0.708, P=0.038) and total T (HR 0.639, P=0.031) cells were independent prognostic factors for OS. Conclusion NPC patients with low total or CD8+ T cell counts before treatment had worse prognosis; however, those with more significant decreases in total or CD4+ T cells possibly had better outcomes. T cell counts can be reliable indicators to predict prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-gui Weng
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hai-ke Lei
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - De-Song Shen
- Department of Oncology, Liuzhou People’s Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi Medical University, Liuzhou, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Dong Zhu
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Oncology, Wuming Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People’s Republic of China
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Bisheshar SK, van der Kamp MF, de Vries J, Slagter-Menkema L, Schuuring EMD, Lunter GA, Halmos GB, van der Vegt B. Addition of tumor microenvironment immune cell composition to improve the performance of a predictive model for oral squamous cell carcinoma. Oral Oncol 2024; 153:106830. [PMID: 38718459 DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2024.106830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/21/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Conventional clinicopathological characteristics insufficiently predict prognosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We aimed to assess the added predictive value of tumor microenvironment immune cell composition (TMICC) in addition to conventional clinicopathological characteristics. METHODS Primary tumor samples of 290 OSCC patients were immunohistochemically stained for CD4, CD8, CD20, CD68, CD163, CD57, FoxP3 and Programmed cell Death Ligand 1. Additionally, clinicopathological characteristics were obtained from patients' medical files. Predictive models were trained and validated by conducting Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analyses with cross-validation. To quantify the added predictive power of TMICC within models, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used. RESULTS Recurrence occurred in 74 patients (25.5%). Conventional clinicopathological characteristics (tumor localization, pathological T-stage, pathological N-stage, extracapsular spread, resection margin, differentiation grade, perineural invasion, lymphovascular invasion) and treatment modality, were used to build a LASSO logistic regression-based predictive model. Addition of TMICC to the model resulted in a comparable AUC of respectively 0.79 (±0.01) and 0.76 (±0.1) in the training and test sets. The model indicated that high numbers of CD4+ T cells protected against recurrence. Lymph node metastasis, extracapsular spread, perineural invasion, positive surgical margins and reception of adjuvant treatment were associated with increased risk for recurrence. CONCLUSIONS The TMICC, specifically the number of CD4+ T cells, is an independent predictor , however, addition to conventional clinicopathological characteristics does not improve the performance of a predictive model for recurrence in OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sangeeta K Bisheshar
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology & Medical Biology, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Martine F van der Kamp
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Julius de Vries
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Lorian Slagter-Menkema
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology & Medical Biology, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands; University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Ed M D Schuuring
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology & Medical Biology, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Gerton A Lunter
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Epidemiology, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Gyorgy B Halmos
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Bert van der Vegt
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology & Medical Biology, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands.
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9
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Jacenik D. Tumor microenvironment and immune response: A gateway to novel therapies in gastrointestinal cancers. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167203. [PMID: 38688415 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Damian Jacenik
- University of Lodz, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, Department of Cytobiochemistry, Lodz, Poland.
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10
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Blažek T, Petráš M, Hurník P, Matoušek P, Knybel L, Čermáková ZZ, Štembírek J, Cvek J, Soumarová R. High PD-L1 expression on immune cells along with increased density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes predicts a favorable survival outcome for patients with loco-regionally advanced head and neck cancer: early results from a prospective study. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1346793. [PMID: 38638854 PMCID: PMC11024328 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1346793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction In the era of personalized medicine and treatment optimization, use of immune biomarkers holds promise for estimating the prognosis of patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) undergoing definitive treatment. Methods To evaluate the prognostic potential of immune biomarkers, we conducted a prospective monocentric cohort study with loco-regionally advanced HNSCC patients indicated for definitive radiotherapy/radiochemotherapy at the Department of Oncology, Ostrava University Hospital, Czech Republic, between June 2020 and August 2023. We focused on the expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) relative to overall survival (OS) and specific survival rates. Associations between biomarkers and survival rates were assessed by crude and adjusted hazard ratios (cHR, aHR, respectively) obtained from Cox proportional hazards regression. Results Among a total of 55 patients within a median follow-up of 19.7 months, there were 21 (38.2%) all-cause deaths and 15 (27.3%) cancer-related deaths. An overall survival (OS) rate of 61.8% and a disease-specific survival (DSS) rate of 72.7% were recorded. A significant association between survival rates and a ≥10% difference in PD-L1 expression on immune versus tumor cells (high PD-L1IC expression) was documented regardless of the type of analysis (univariate or multivariate). In addition, a stronger association was confirmed for OS and the composite biomarker high PD-L1IC expression along with either median-higher CD8+ TIL count or increased TIL density ≥30%, as indicated by an aHR of 0.08 (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.52) and 0.07 (95% CI, 0.01 to 0.46), respectively. Similar results were demonstrated for other specific survival rates. Discussion The early outcomes of the present study suggest the utility of a strong prognostic factor involving a composite biomarker high PD-L1IC expression along with increased TIL density in HNSCC patients undergoing definitive radiotherapy and radiochemotherapy. Trial registration The study is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov. - NCT05941676.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomáš Blažek
- Department of Oncology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Marek Petráš
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Pavel Hurník
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Department of Pathology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Petr Matoušek
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Lukáš Knybel
- Department of Oncology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Zuzana Zděblová Čermáková
- Department of Oncology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Jan Štembírek
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
- Department of Orofacial Surgery, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Jakub Cvek
- Department of Oncology, Ostrava University Hospital, Ostrava, Czechia
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
| | - Renata Soumarová
- Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- Department of Oncology, Královské Vinohrady University Hospital, Prague, Czechia
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11
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Al-Jamaei AAH, Subramanyam RV, Helder MN, Forouzanfar T, van der Meij EH, Al-Jamei S, de Visscher JGAM. A narrative review of the role of Eph receptors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oral Dis 2024; 30:833-845. [PMID: 37279081 DOI: 10.1111/odi.14625] [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: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Tyrosine kinase receptors (TKR) coordinate a variety of pathological processes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and eventually play a role in patient outcomes. In this review, the role of Eph receptors in HNSCC progression and the possibility of targeting these receptors are illustrated. All relevant studies were identified through a comprehensive search of four electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, web of science, and Embase till August 2022. EphA2 and EphB4, along with ephrin-B2, were the most extensively studied proteins in this family. However, overexpression of EphB4 and its ligand ephrin-B2 were the only proteins that consistently showed association with a poor outcome, indicating that these proteins might serve as valuable prognostic markers in HNSCC. High expression of EphA3 and EphB4 was found to play a crucial role in radioresistance of HNSCC. EphB4 loss, in particular, was observed to induce an immunosuppression phenotypic HNSCC. Currently, ongoing clinical trials are investigating the benefits of EphB4-ephrin-B2 blockade in combination with standard of care treatment in HNSCC. Further efforts are needed to explore the biological role and behavioral complexity of this family of TKR in HNSCC with great attention to avoid heterogeneity of HNSCC subsites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha A H Al-Jamaei
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Oral Pathology, AmsterdamUMC-location VUmc/Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Oral Surgery and Oral Medicine, Collage of Dentistry, Al-Razi University, Sana'a, Yemen
| | | | - Marco N Helder
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Oral Pathology, AmsterdamUMC-location VUmc/Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Tymour Forouzanfar
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Oral Pathology, AmsterdamUMC-location VUmc/Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Leiden University Medical Centre (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Erik H van der Meij
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Oral Pathology, AmsterdamUMC-location VUmc/Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medical Centre Leeuwarden, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands
| | - Sayida Al-Jamei
- OncoRay-National Center for Radiation Research in Oncology, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus TU, Dresden and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jan G A M de Visscher
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery/Oral Pathology, AmsterdamUMC-location VUmc/Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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12
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Wang Z, Kirkwood KL, Wang Y, Du W, Lin S, Zhou W, Yan C, Gao J, Li Z, Sun C, Liu F. Analysis of the effect of CCR7 on the microenvironment of mouse oral squamous cell carcinoma by single-cell RNA sequencing technology. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2024; 43:94. [PMID: 38539232 PMCID: PMC10976828 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-024-03013-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies have shown that CCR7, an important inflammatory factor, can promote the proliferation and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but its role in the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. This paper explores the role of CCR7 in the TME of OSCC. METHODS In this work, we constructed CCR7 gene knockout mice and OSCC mouse models. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bioinformatics were used to analyze the differences in the OSCC microenvironment between three CCR7 gene knockout mice (KO) and three wild-type mice (WT). Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining, and flow cytometry were used to analyze the expression of key genes in significantly different cell types between the KO and WT groups. An in vitro experiment was used to verify the effect of CCR7 on M2 macrophage polarization. RESULTS In the mouse OSCC models, the tumor growth rate in the KO group was significantly lower than that in the WT group. Eight main cell types (including tumor cells, fibroblasts, macrophages, granulocytes, T cells, endothelial cells, monocytes, and B cells) were identified by Seurat analysis. The scRNA-seq results showed that the proportion of tumor cells was lower, but the proportion of inflammatory cells was significantly higher in the KO group than in the WT group. CellPhoneDB analysis results indicated a strong interaction relationship between tumor cells and macrophages, T cells, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. Functional enrichment results indicated that the expression level of the Dusp1 gene in the KO group was generally higher than that in the WT group in various cell types. Macrophage subclustering results indicated that the proportion of M2 macrophages in the KO group was lower than that in the WT group. In vitro experimental results showed that CCR7 can promote M2 macrophage polarization, thus promoting the proliferation, invasion and migration of OSCC cells. CONCLUSIONS CCR7 gene knockout can significantly inhibit the growth of mouse oral squamous cell carcinoma by promoting the polarization of M2 macrophages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zengxu Wang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 117 Nanjing North Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110002, People's Republic of China
| | - Keith L Kirkwood
- Department of Oral Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University at Buffalo, NY, Buffalo, 14214-8006, USA
| | - Yao Wang
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 117 Nanjing North Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110002, People's Republic of China
| | - Weidong Du
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 117 Nanjing North Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110002, People's Republic of China
| | - Shanfeng Lin
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 117 Nanjing North Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110002, People's Republic of China
| | - Wanhang Zhou
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 117 Nanjing North Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110002, People's Republic of China
| | - Cong Yan
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 117 Nanjing North Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110002, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiaxing Gao
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 117 Nanjing North Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110002, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenning Li
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 117 Nanjing North Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110002, People's Republic of China
| | - Changfu Sun
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 117 Nanjing North Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110002, People's Republic of China
| | - Fayu Liu
- Department of Oral Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, 117 Nanjing North Road, Heping District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110002, People's Republic of China.
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13
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Chang YM, Lee CC. Stromal categorization of recurrent oral cancer after salvage surgery is associated with survival rates. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY 2024; 50:108009. [PMID: 38342040 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2024.108009] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recurrent oral cancer incurred grave outcome. Tumor microenvironment features, like tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) or tumor stromal ratio (TSR) had prognostic significance in various cancers. We aimed to evaluate the impact of stromal categorization which incorporated the stromal TILs and TSR on survival outcomes in recurrent oral cancer. METHODS 162 patients who received surgery-based treatment between 2010 and 2020 were recruited. Outcomes were 5-year overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). The impact of stromal categorization of recurrent primary tumor or node on 5-year OS and DSS were assessed with the Kaplan-Meier method. Multivariate analysis was performed, incorporating variables at initial treatment and salvage surgery. Patients were further categorized using a survival decision tree. RESULTS Mean age was 56.1 (SD, 11.3) years; 153 patients (94.4%) were male; 51 patients (31.5%) had stromal category III. Local recurrence occurred in 94 patients (58%), regional recurrence in 55 (34%), and loco-regional recurrence in 13 (8%). Patients with stromal category III had poorer 5-year OS and DSS. Prior radiotherapy, advanced recurrent stage, positive surgical margin, and stromal category III were independent prognosticators for 5-year OS and DSS. In survival decision tree analysis, patients with prior radiotherapy and stromal category III had the worst outcomes. CONCLUSION Stromal categorization is associated with outcomes in recurrent oral cancer. Patients with poor prognosticators, such as stromal categorization III, prior radiation, and advanced stage may require closer follow-up and intensive treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ming Chang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; Department of Pathology, Tri-service General Hospital and the Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Chih Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang Ming Chao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan.
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14
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Stepanenko AA, Sosnovtseva AO, Valikhov MP, Chernysheva AA, Abramova OV, Pavlov KA, Chekhonin VP. Systemic and local immunosuppression in glioblastoma and its prognostic significance. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1326753. [PMID: 38481999 PMCID: PMC10932993 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1326753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The effectiveness of tumor therapy, especially immunotherapy and oncolytic virotherapy, critically depends on the activity of the host immune cells. However, various local and systemic mechanisms of immunosuppression operate in cancer patients. Tumor-associated immunosuppression involves deregulation of many components of immunity, including a decrease in the number of T lymphocytes (lymphopenia), an increase in the levels or ratios of circulating and tumor-infiltrating immunosuppressive subsets [e.g., macrophages, microglia, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), and regulatory T cells (Tregs)], as well as defective functions of subsets of antigen-presenting, helper and effector immune cell due to altered expression of various soluble and membrane proteins (receptors, costimulatory molecules, and cytokines). In this review, we specifically focus on data from patients with glioblastoma/glioma before standard chemoradiotherapy. We discuss glioblastoma-related immunosuppression at baseline and the prognostic significance of different subsets of circulating and tumor-infiltrating immune cells (lymphocytes, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, Tregs, natural killer (NK) cells, neutrophils, macrophages, MDSCs, and dendritic cells), including neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), focus on the immune landscape and prognostic significance of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant gliomas, proneural, classical and mesenchymal molecular subtypes, and highlight the features of immune surveillance in the brain. All attempts to identify a reliable prognostic immune marker in glioblastoma tissue have led to contradictory results, which can be explained, among other things, by the unprecedented level of spatial heterogeneity of the immune infiltrate and the significant phenotypic diversity and (dys)functional states of immune subpopulations. High NLR is one of the most repeatedly confirmed independent prognostic factors for shorter overall survival in patients with glioblastoma and carcinoma, and its combination with other markers of the immune response or systemic inflammation significantly improves the accuracy of prediction; however, more prospective studies are needed to confirm the prognostic/predictive power of NLR. We call for the inclusion of dynamic assessment of NLR and other blood inflammatory markers (e.g., absolute/total lymphocyte count, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio, lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio, systemic immune-inflammation index, and systemic immune response index) in all neuro-oncology studies for rigorous evaluation and comparison of their individual and combinatorial prognostic/predictive significance and relative superiority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksei A. Stepanenko
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology, V. P. Serbsky National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Institute of Translational Medicine, N. I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasiia O. Sosnovtseva
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology, V. P. Serbsky National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Marat P. Valikhov
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology, V. P. Serbsky National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Institute of Translational Medicine, N. I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Anastasia A. Chernysheva
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology, V. P. Serbsky National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Olga V. Abramova
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology, V. P. Serbsky National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Konstantin A. Pavlov
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology, V. P. Serbsky National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vladimir P. Chekhonin
- Department of Fundamental and Applied Neurobiology, V. P. Serbsky National Medical Research Center of Psychiatry and Narcology, the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
- Department of Medical Nanobiotechnology, Institute of Translational Medicine, N. I. Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
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15
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Wang CW, Biswas PK, Islam A, Chen MK, Chueh PJ. The Use of Immune Regulation in Treating Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC). Cells 2024; 13:413. [PMID: 38474377 DOI: 10.3390/cells13050413] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Immunotherapy has emerged as a promising new treatment modality for head and neck cancer, offering the potential for targeted and effective cancer management. Squamous cell carcinomas pose significant challenges due to their aggressive nature and limited treatment options. Conventional therapies such as surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy often have limited success rates and can have significant side effects. Immunotherapy harnesses the power of the immune system to recognize and eliminate cancer cells, and thus represents a novel approach with the potential to improve patient outcomes. In the management of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), important contributions are made by immunotherapies, including adaptive cell therapy (ACT) and immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy. In this review, we are focusing on the latter. Immune checkpoint inhibitors target proteins such as programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) to enhance the immune response against cancer cells. The CTLA-4 inhibitors, such as ipilimumab and tremelimumab, have been approved for early-stage clinical trials and have shown promising outcomes in terms of tumor regression and durable responses in patients with advanced HNSCC. Thus, immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy holds promise in overcoming the limitations of conventional therapies. However, further research is needed to optimize treatment regimens, identify predictive biomarkers, and overcome potential resistance mechanisms. With ongoing advancements in immunotherapy, the future holds great potential for transforming the landscape of oral tumor treatment and providing new hope for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Wei Wang
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50006, Taiwan
| | - Pulak Kumar Biswas
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan
| | - Atikul Islam
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
| | - Mu-Kuan Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua 50006, Taiwan
| | - Pin Ju Chueh
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan
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16
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Lonsdorf AS, Edelmann D, Albrecht T, Brobeil A, Labrenz J, Johanning M, Schlenk RF, Goeppert B, Enk AH, Toberer F. Differential Immunoexpression of Inhibitory Immune Checkpoint Molecules and Clinicopathological Correlates in Keratoacanthoma, Primary Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Metastases. Acta Derm Venereol 2024; 104:adv13381. [PMID: 38323498 PMCID: PMC10863621 DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v104.13381] [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: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Beyond established anti-programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 immunotherapy, T-cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif domain (TIGIT) and its ligand CD155 are promising novel inhibitory immune checkpoint targets in human malignancies. Yet, in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, evidence on the collective expression patterns of these inhibitory immune checkpoints is scarce. Complete tumour sections of 36 cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, 5 cutaneous metastases and 9 keratoacanthomas, a highly-differentiated, squamoproliferative tumour, with disparately benign biologic behaviour, were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (Tumor Proportion Score, Immune Cell Score), TIGIT, CD155 and CD8+ immune infiltrates. Unlike keratoacanthomas, cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma displayed a strong positive correlation of programmed cell death ligand 1 Tumor Proportion Score and CD115 expression (p < 0.001) with significantly higher programmed cell death ligand 1 Tumor Proportion Score (p < 0.001) and CD155 expression (p < 0.01) in poorly differentiated G3-cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma compared with keratoacanthomas. TIGIT+ infiltrates were significantly increased in programmed cell death ligand 1 Immune Cell Score positive primary tumours (p = 0.05). Yet, a strong positive correlation of TIGIT expression with CD8+ infiltrates was only detected in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (p < 0.01), but not keratoacanthomas. Providing a comprehensive overview on the collective landscape of inhibitory immune checkpoint expression, this study reveals associations of novel inhibitory immune checkpoint with CD8+ immune infiltrates and tumour differentiation and highlights the TIGIT/CD155 axis as a potential new target for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke S Lonsdorf
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Dominic Edelmann
- German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; NCT Trial Center, National Center for Tumor Diseases, German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Albrecht
- Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alexander Brobeil
- Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Tissue Bank of the National Center for Tumor Diseases, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jannik Labrenz
- German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; NCT Trial Center, National Center for Tumor Diseases, German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Moritz Johanning
- German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; NCT Trial Center, National Center for Tumor Diseases, German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Richard F Schlenk
- German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany; NCT Trial Center, National Center for Tumor Diseases, German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Benjamin Goeppert
- Institute of Pathology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany; Institute of Pathology and Neuropathology, RKH Klinikum Ludwigsburg, Germany
| | - Alexander H Enk
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ferdinand Toberer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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17
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Mestiri S, El-Ella DMA, Fernandes Q, Bedhiafi T, Almoghrabi S, Akbar S, Inchakalody V, Assami L, Anwar S, Uddin S, Gul ARZ, Al-Muftah M, Merhi M, Raza A, Dermime S. The dynamic role of immune checkpoint molecules in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of head and neck cancers. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116095. [PMID: 38183744 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.116095] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNC) is the sixth most common cancer type, accounting for approximately 277,597 deaths worldwide. Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) agents targeting programmed death-1 (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) as a treatment regimen for head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Studies have reported the role of immune checkpoint inhibitors as targeted therapeutic regimens that unleash the immune response against HNSCC tumors. However, the overall response rates to immunotherapy vary between 14-32% in recurrent or metastatic HNSCC, with clinical response and treatment success being unpredictable. Keeping this perspective in mind, it is imperative to understand the role of T cells, natural killer cells, and antigen-presenting cells in modulating the immune response to immunotherapy. In lieu of this, these immune molecules could serve as prognostic and predictive biomarkers to facilitate longitudinal monitoring and understanding of treatment dynamics. These immune biomarkers could pave the path for personalized monitoring and management of HNSCC. In this review, we aim to provide updated immunological insight on the mechanism of action, expression, and the clinical application of immune cells' stimulatory and inhibitory molecules as prognostic and predictive biomarkers in HNC. The review is focused mainly on CD27 and CD137 (members of the TNF-receptor superfamily), natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D), tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 4 (TNFRSF4 or OX40), S100 proteins, PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM-3), cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3), indoleamine-pyrrole 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA). It also highlights the importance of T, natural killer, and antigen-presenting cells as robust biomarker tools for understanding immune checkpoint inhibitor-based treatment dynamics. Though a comprehensive review, all aspects of the immune molecules could not be covered as they were beyond the scope of the review; Further review articles can cover other aspects to bridge the knowledge gap.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarra Mestiri
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research/ Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Dina Moustafa Abo El-Ella
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research/ Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Queenie Fernandes
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research/ Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; College of Medicine, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Takwa Bedhiafi
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research/ Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Salam Almoghrabi
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research/ Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shayista Akbar
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research/ Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Varghese Inchakalody
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research/ Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Laila Assami
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research/ Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Shaheena Anwar
- Department of Biosciences, Salim Habib University, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Translational Research Institute and Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Abdul Rehman Zar Gul
- National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Mariam Al-Muftah
- Translational Cancer and Immunity Centre, Qatar Biomedical Research Institute, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar; College of Health and Life Sciences, Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Doha, Qatar
| | - Maysaloun Merhi
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research/ Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar
| | - Afsheen Raza
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Health Science, Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Said Dermime
- Translational Cancer Research Facility, National Center for Cancer Care and Research/ Translational Research Institute, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar; National Center for Cancer Care and Research, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
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18
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Smussi D, Mattavelli D, Paderno A, Gurizzan C, Lorini L, Romani C, Bignotti E, Grammatica A, Ravanelli M, Bossi P. Revisiting the concept of neoadjuvant and induction therapy in head and neck cancer with the advent of immunotherapy. Cancer Treat Rev 2023; 121:102644. [PMID: 37862833 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctrv.2023.102644] [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: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
The treatment of locally advanced (LA) Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is based on surgery followed by (chemo)radiation or on curative (chemo)radiation, depending on site and stage. Despite optimal locoregional treatment, about 50% of patients recur, with a huge impact on prognosis and substantial morbidity. The advent of immunotherapy (IT) with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) changed the paradigm of systemic treatment for recurrent/metastatic (RM) disease, showing activity, efficacy, and safety in both platinum-resistant and platinum-naïve patients. Such data led clinicians to design clinical trials to investigate early administration of IT even in the neoadjuvant or window of opportunity setting. In this review, we examine the published and ongoing trials investigating IT in the neoadjuvant setting for LA HNSCC. We address the current challenges of this treatment modality: optimal patient selection for neoadjuvant IT; choosing the appropriate systemic approach to enhance response without compromising tolerability; determining the ideal study endpoint, with a focus on major pathological response as a potential surrogate for overall survival; evaluating treatment response through imaging, considering the discordance between radiological and pathological assessments; and the influence of neoadjuvant IT response on locoregional treatment de-escalation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Smussi
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - Davide Mattavelli
- Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alberto Paderno
- Otorhinolaryngology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, MI, Italy
| | - Cristina Gurizzan
- Medical Oncology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - Luigi Lorini
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, MI, Italy
| | - Chiara Romani
- Angelo Nocivelli Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Eliana Bignotti
- Angelo Nocivelli Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Brescia and ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alberto Grammatica
- Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - Marco Ravanelli
- Radiology Unit, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health University of Brescia, ASST-Spedali Civili, Brescia, Italy
| | - Paolo Bossi
- Medical Oncology and Hematology Unit, Humanitas Cancer Center, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, MI, Italy; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Via Rita Levi Montalcini 4, 20072 Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy.
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19
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Klein M, Polgart E, Hallermann C, Schulze HJ, Hölzle F, Wermker K. Immune checkpoint analysis in ear cancer. Head Face Med 2023; 19:48. [PMID: 37932810 PMCID: PMC10626725 DOI: 10.1186/s13005-023-00395-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas, the ear (ecSCC) is one of the most common sites. Loco regional lymph node metastasis is found in six to eleven percent of cases, corresponding to increased metastasis compared to other sites. The aim of this study was to test the markers PD-L1, PD-1, CD4, CD8, and FoxP3 for suitability as prognostic predictive markers. METHODS Sixty-four patients with ecSCC were included in this study. The expression of immunohistochemical markers (PD-L1, PD-1, CD4, CD8, FOXP3) was correlated with retrospective clinic pathological parameters (lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, lymph node metastasis during follow-up, disease progression, disease-specific death). RESULTS There was a correlation between increased disease specific death and a weak Foxp3 (p = 0.003) or reduced CD8 (p = 0.04). A PD-L1 expression > 1% was found in 39.1% of patients. CONCLUSION The investigated markers (CD4, CD8, FoxP3, PD-1, PD-L1) seem overall rather inappropriate for prognostic evaluation in ecSCC. Only the correlation of disease specific death with CD8 or FoxP3 seems to be worth testing in larger collectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Klein
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
| | - E Polgart
- , Hammer Straße 30, 48153, Münster, Germany
| | - C Hallermann
- Laboratory for Dermatopathology and Pathology Hamburg-Niendorf, Tibarg 7, 22459, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology and Histopathology, Fachklinik Hornheide, Dorbaumstrasse 300, 48157, Muenster, Germany
| | - H J Schulze
- Department of Dermatology and Histopathology, Fachklinik Hornheide, Dorbaumstrasse 300, 48157, Muenster, Germany
| | - F Hölzle
- Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, School of Medicine, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
| | - K Wermker
- Department of Oral and Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Klinikum Osnabrueck GmbH, Am Finkenhuegel 1, 49076, Osnabrueck, Germany
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Zhang SL, Chen L, Bu LL, Yu ZL, Ma SR. Identification of SEC61G as a Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Biomedicines 2023; 11:2718. [PMID: 37893092 PMCID: PMC10603851 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11102718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a heterogeneous malignancy originating from the oral mucosal epithelium. Detecting novel biomarkers can offer crucial information on disease aggressiveness and expected clinical outcomes for individual patients. SEC61G, an aberrantly expressed gene in various cancers, has been associated with negative clinical outcomes. However, its expression and clinical significance in OSCC is still unclear. In the present study, we investigated the SEC61G expression level in OSCC using bioinformatic and immunohistochemical analyses. Additionally, our findings revealed a significant correlation between SEC61G expression and clinicopathological characteristics, as well as a worse prognosis in OSCC patients. Notably, flow cytometry analysis on patient samples revealed that SEC61G expression was also linked to decreased immune infiltration in OSCC patients. In conclusion, our study provides evidence supporting SEC61G's role as a potential diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic marker in OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Long Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China; (S.-L.Z.); (L.C.); (L.-L.B.)
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Dongfeng Stomatological Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan 442000, China
| | - Lei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China; (S.-L.Z.); (L.C.); (L.-L.B.)
| | - Lin-Lin Bu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China; (S.-L.Z.); (L.C.); (L.-L.B.)
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Zi-Li Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China; (S.-L.Z.); (L.C.); (L.-L.B.)
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Si-Rui Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China; (S.-L.Z.); (L.C.); (L.-L.B.)
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
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21
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Tan Y, Wang Z, Xu M, Li B, Huang Z, Qin S, Nice EC, Tang J, Huang C. Oral squamous cell carcinomas: state of the field and emerging directions. Int J Oral Sci 2023; 15:44. [PMID: 37736748 PMCID: PMC10517027 DOI: 10.1038/s41368-023-00249-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) develops on the mucosal epithelium of the oral cavity. It accounts for approximately 90% of oral malignancies and impairs appearance, pronunciation, swallowing, and flavor perception. In 2020, 377,713 OSCC cases were reported globally. According to the Global Cancer Observatory (GCO), the incidence of OSCC will rise by approximately 40% by 2040, accompanied by a growth in mortality. Persistent exposure to various risk factors, including tobacco, alcohol, betel quid (BQ), and human papillomavirus (HPV), will lead to the development of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs), which are oral mucosal lesions with an increased risk of developing into OSCC. Complex and multifactorial, the oncogenesis process involves genetic alteration, epigenetic modification, and a dysregulated tumor microenvironment. Although various therapeutic interventions, such as chemotherapy, radiation, immunotherapy, and nanomedicine, have been proposed to prevent or treat OSCC and OPMDs, understanding the mechanism of malignancies will facilitate the identification of therapeutic and prognostic factors, thereby improving the efficacy of treatment for OSCC patients. This review summarizes the mechanisms involved in OSCC. Moreover, the current therapeutic interventions and prognostic methods for OSCC and OPMDs are discussed to facilitate comprehension and provide several prospective outlooks for the fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhan Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
- West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhihan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Mengtong Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Bowen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhao Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Siyuan Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Edouard C Nice
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Jing Tang
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.
| | - Canhua Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, and West China School of Basic Medical Sciences & Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China.
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22
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Kakkar A, Thakur R, Roy D, Sood R, Sharma A, Malhotra RK, Thakar A. Tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte subsets and their individual prognostic impact in oral squamous cell carcinoma. J Clin Pathol 2023:jcp-2023-208918. [PMID: 37699696 DOI: 10.1136/jcp-2023-208918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Current understanding of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is incomplete with regard to prognostic factors that lead to the considerable heterogeneity in treatment response and patient outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the impact of individual tumour-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) subsets on prognosis as a possible rationale for this, in a retrospective observational study. METHODS Immunohistochemistry was performed to quantitatively assess cell densities of CD3+, CD20+, CD4+, CD8+ and FOXP3+TIL subsets in 50 surgically treated OSCC cases. Results were correlated with disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis and Youden index were applied to determine prognostically significant cut-off values. RESULTS Mean counts for CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD20+ and FOXP3+TILs were 243, 52, 132, 53 and 116 cells per high power field, respectively. High CD8+ and low FOXP3+TIL counts, and high ratio of CD8:FOXP3 were significantly associated with longer DFS and OS, as well as with improved tumour-host interface parameters. CONCLUSIONS Host immune response and its interaction with cancer cells have a significant impact on OSCC outcomes, with some TIL subsets being more clinically relevant than others. High cytotoxic T-cell (CD8) and low Treg (FOXP3) counts, and high cytotoxic T-cell to Treg (CD8:FOXP3) ratio are significantly associated with favourable prognosis. These results may serve as a leading point in identifying novel therapeutic agents that can redesign the tumour immune microenvironment by reducing infiltrating FOXP3-lymphocytes, and modifying their signalling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aanchal Kakkar
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Rishikesh Thakur
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Diya Roy
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Ridhi Sood
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Atul Sharma
- Medical Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Rajeev Kumar Malhotra
- Delhi Cancer Registry, Dr BRAIRCH, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Alok Thakar
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
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23
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Wang YM, Cai W, Xue QM, Zhang JY, Zhou L, Xiong SY, Deng H. Prognostic role of different PD-L1 expression patterns and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in high-grade serous ovarian cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1234894. [PMID: 37654479 PMCID: PMC10465691 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1234894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The prognostic value of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) remains a controversial topic in the research field. To comprehensively assess the importance of PD-L1 and TILs in this particular subtype of ovarian cancer, we performed a meta-analysis. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases up to December 25, 2022. The association between PD-L1, TILs, and survival outcomes was evaluated using the combined hazard ratios (HRs) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results This meta-analysis comprised 11 trials involving a total of 1746 cases. The results revealed no significant association between PD-L1 expression in tumor cells (TCs) and overall survival (OS, HR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.52-1.09, p = 0.136) or progression-free survival (PFS, HR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.4 -1.24, p = 0.230). Nevertheless, a correlation was observed between PD-L1 expression in immune cells (ICs) and OS (HR = 0.73, 95% CI: 0.55-0.97, p = 0.031). Furthermore, the presence of CD8+ and PD-1+ TILs was found to significantly enhance OS (HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.55-0.87, p = 0.002; HR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.40-0.80, p = 0.001, respectively) and PFS (HR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.41-0.92, p = 0.019; HR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.35-0.78, p = 0.002, respectively), whereas the presence of CD3+ and CD4+ TILs was positively associated with OS (HR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.29-0.87, p = 0.014; HR = 0.55, 95% CI = 0.34-0.91, p = 0.020, respectively). Conclusion This study indicates a positive correlation between ICs-derived PD-L1 and survival, while no significant correlation was observed between TCs-derived PD-L1 and prognosis. These results highlight the importance of studying PD-L1 expression in ICs as a prognostic predictor. In addition, the presence of TILs was found to significantly improve patient survival, suggesting that TILs may be a valuable prognostic biomarker. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42022366411.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye-Min Wang
- Department of Pathology, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Wei Cai
- Department of Pathology, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Qing-Ming Xue
- Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jin-Yao Zhang
- Department of Pathology, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Lv Zhou
- Department of Pathology, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Su-Yi Xiong
- Department of Pathology, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
| | - Huan Deng
- Department of Pathology, the Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, Jiangxi, China
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24
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Smits HJG, Ruiter LN, Breimer GE, Willems SM, Philippens MEP. Using Intratumor Heterogeneity of Immunohistochemistry Biomarkers to Classify Laryngeal and Hypopharyngeal Tumors Based on Histologic Features. Mod Pathol 2023; 36:100199. [PMID: 37116830 DOI: 10.1016/j.modpat.2023.100199] [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: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
Haralick texture features are used to quantify the spatial distribution of signal intensities within an image. In this study, the heterogeneity of proliferation (Ki-67 expression) and immune cells (CD45 expression) within tumors was quantified and used to classify histologic characteristics of larynx and hypopharynx carcinomas. Of 21 laryngectomy specimens, 74 whole-mount tumor slides were scored on histologic characteristics. Ki-67 and CD45 immunohistochemistry was performed, and all sections were digitized. The tumor area was annotated in QuPath. Haralick features independent of the diaminobenzidine intensity were extracted from the isolated diaminobenzidine signal to quantify intratumor heterogeneity. Haralick features from both Ki-67 and CD45 were used as input for a principal component analysis. A linear support vector machine was fitted to the first 4 principal components for classification and validated with a leave-one-patient-out cross-validation method. Significant differences in individual Haralick features were found between cohesive and noncohesive tumors for CD45 (angular second motion: P =.03, inverse difference moment: P =.009, and entropy: P =.02) and between the larynx and hypopharynx tumors for both CD45 (angular second motion: P =.03, inverse difference moment: P =.007, and entropy: P =.005) and Ki-67 (correlation: P =.003). Therefore, these features were used for classification. The linear classifier resulted in a classification accuracy of 85% for site of origin and 81% for growth pattern. A leave-one-patient-out cross-validation resulted in an error rate of 0.27 and 0.35 for both classifiers, respectively. In conclusion, we show a method to quantify intratumor heterogeneity of immunohistochemistry biomarkers using Haralick features. This study also shows the feasibility of using these features to classify tumors by histologic characteristics. The classifiers created in this study are a proof of concept because more data are needed to create robust classifiers, but the method shows potential for automated tumor classification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hilde J G Smits
- Department of Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Lilian N Ruiter
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Gerben E Breimer
- Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Stefan M Willems
- Department of Pathology and Medical Biology, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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O'Meara CH, Jafri Z, Khachigian LM. Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, Small-Molecule Immunotherapies and the Emerging Role of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Therapeutic Strategies for Head and Neck Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:11695. [PMID: 37511453 PMCID: PMC10380483 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241411695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of many cancer types, including head and neck cancers (HNC). When checkpoint and partner proteins bind, these send an "off" signal to T cells, which prevents the immune system from destroying tumor cells. However, in HNC, and indeed many other cancers, more people do not respond and/or suffer from toxic effects than those who do respond. Hence, newer, more effective approaches are needed. The challenge to durable therapy lies in a deeper understanding of the complex interactions between immune cells, tumor cells and the tumor microenvironment. This will help develop therapies that promote lasting tumorlysis by overcoming T-cell exhaustion. Here we explore the strengths and limitations of current ICI therapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We also review emerging small-molecule immunotherapies and the growing promise of neutrophil extracellular traps in controlling tumor progression and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Connor H O'Meara
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia
| | - Zuhayr Jafri
- Vascular Biology and Translational Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, UNSW Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Levon M Khachigian
- Vascular Biology and Translational Research, School of Biomedical Sciences, UNSW Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
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Ali L, Raza AA, Zaheer AB, Alhomrani M, Alamri AS, Alghamdi SA, Almalki AA, Alghamdi AA, Khawaja I, Alhadrami M, Ramzan F, Jamil M, Ali M, Jabeen N. In vitro analysis of PI3K pathway activation genes for exploring novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets in clear cell renal carcinoma. Am J Transl Res 2023; 15:4851-4872. [PMID: 37560222 PMCID: PMC10408522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The regulation of various cellular functions such as growth, proliferation, metabolism, and angiogenesis, is dependent on the PI3K pathway. Recent evidence has indicated that kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC) can be triggered by the deregulation of this pathway. The objective of this research was to investigate 25 genes associated with activation of the PI3K pathway in KIRC and control samples to identify four hub genes that might serve as novel molecular biomarkers and therapeutic targets for treating KIRC. METHODS Multi-omics in silico and in vitro analysis was employed to find hub genes related to the PI3K pathway that may be biomarkers and therapeutic targets for KIRC. RESULTS Using STRING software, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of 25 PI3K pathway-related genes was developed. Based on the degree scoring method, the top four hub genes were identified using Cytoscape's Cytohubba plug-in. TCGA datasets, KIRC (786-O and A-498), and normal (HK2) cells were used to validate the expression of hub genes. Additionally, further bioinformatic analyses were performed to investigate the mechanisms by which hub genes are involved in the development of KIRC. Out of a total of 25 PI3K pathway-related genes, we developed and validated a diagnostic and prognostic model based on the up-regulation of TP53 (tumor protein 53) and CCND1 (Cyclin D1) and the down-regulation of PTEN (Phosphatase and TENsin homolog deleted on chromosome 10), and GSK3B (Glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta) hub genes. The hub genes included in our model may be a novel therapeutic target for KIRC treatment. Additionally, associations between hub genes and infiltration of immune cells can enhance comprehension of immunotherapy for KIRC. CONCLUSION We have created a new diagnostic and prognostic model for KIRC patients that uses PI3K pathway-related hub genes (TP53, PTEN, CCND1, and GSK3B). Nevertheless, further experimental studies are required to ascertain the efficacy of our model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liaqat Ali
- Department of Urology, Institute of Kidney Diseases, Hayatabad Medical ComplexPeshawar 25000, Pakistan
| | - Abbas Ali Raza
- Surgery Department, Bacha Khan Medical College, MTI Mardan Medical ComplexMardan 23200, Pakistan
| | | | - Majid Alhomrani
- Centre of Biomedical Sciences Research (CBSR), Deanship of Scientific Research, Taif UniversityTaif 21944, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif UniversityTaif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulhakeem S Alamri
- Centre of Biomedical Sciences Research (CBSR), Deanship of Scientific Research, Taif UniversityTaif 21944, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif UniversityTaif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Saleh A Alghamdi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Since, Medical Genetics, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif UniversityTaif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulraheem Ali Almalki
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif UniversityTaif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad A Alghamdi
- Department of Clinical Laboratories Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif UniversityP.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Imran Khawaja
- Department of Medicine, Ayub Teaching HospitalAbbottabad 22010, Pakistan
| | - Mai Alhadrami
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Alqura UniversityMakkah 24373, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faiqah Ramzan
- Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Gomal UniversityDera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Jamil
- PARC Arid Zone Research CenterDera Ismail Khan 29050, Pakistan
| | - Mubarik Ali
- Animal Science Institute, National Agricultural Research CenterIslamabad 54000, Pakistan
| | - Norina Jabeen
- Department of Rural Sociology, University of AgricultureFaisalabad 38040, Pakistan
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Jacenik D, Lebish EJ, Beswick EJ. MK2 drives progression of pancreas and colon cancers by suppressing CD8 + T cell cytotoxic function and is a potential immunotherapy target. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1212100. [PMID: 37415974 PMCID: PMC10321668 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1212100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Immune cell composition is a critical and dynamic component of the tumor microenvironment, which has an impact on immunosuppression and progression of cancer. T cells, especially CD8+ T cells, are one of the major immune cell types responsible for tumor cell killing employing receptor-ligand mediated apoptosis and/or releasing lytic granules among others. Accumulating evidence highlighted that adoptive transfer of activated and/or modified immune cells can enhance anti-tumorigenic immune responses and serve as promising therapy approach for patients with cancers. The mitogen-activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2) is a serine/threonine protein kinase, which controls production and secretion of numerous pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines involved in tumorigenesis. However, limited efforts have been made to learn how MK2 may affects CD8+ T cell action and function in the tumor microenvironment especially in gastrointestinal cancers. Methods To explore the therapeutic potential of MK2 in the immune response mediated by CD8+ T cells, RAG1 knockout mice with PK5L1940 and BRAF cells-derived allograft tumors were treated with WT or MK2 knockout CD8+ T cells. The phenotype of CD8+ T cells with MK2 depletion were evaluated in vitro. Immunofluorescence staining, real-time PCR and multiplex analysis were utilized to estimate the expression of apoptotic and lytic factors. Results Here, we show that CD8+ T cells with MK2 depletion prevent gastrointestinal cancer growth, which is accompanied by enhanced expression and secretion of factors related to apoptosis. Moreover, using in vitro and in vivo approaches, we found that depletion of MK2 lead to hyperactivation of CD8+ T cells and enhanced anti-tumor immunity. Conclusion Overall, we documented that MK2 drives the progression of gastrointestinal cancers and prevents immune response generated by CD8+ T cells suggesting potential implications of MK2 in the immunotherapy of gastrointestinal cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damian Jacenik
- Department of Cytobiochemistry, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland
| | - Eric J. Lebish
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Ellen J. Beswick
- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
- Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
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Knebel M, Körner S, Kühn JP, Wemmert S, Brust L, Smola S, Wagner M, Bohle RM, Morris LGT, Pandey A, Schick B, Linxweiler M. Prognostic impact of intra- and peritumoral immune cell subpopulations in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas - comprehensive analysis of the TCGA-HNSC cohort and immunohistochemical validation on 101 patients. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1172768. [PMID: 37383237 PMCID: PMC10294051 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1172768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Due to the expanding role of immune checkpoint inhibition in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, understanding immunological processes in the tumor microevironment (TME) has strong translational importance. Though analytical methods for a comprehensive analysis of the immunological TME have constantly improved and expanded over the past years the prognostic relevance of immune cell composition in head and neck cancer TME largely remains ambiguous with most studies focusing on one or a small subset of immune cells. Methods The overall survival (OS) of the TCGA-HNSC patient cohort comprising 513 head and neck cancer patients was correlated with a total of 29 different immune metrics including a wide spectrum of immune cell subpopulations as well as immune checkpoint receptors and cytokines using RNAseq based immune deconvolution analyses. The most significant predictors of survival among these 29 immune metrics were validated on a separate HNSCC patient cohort (n=101) using immunohistochemistry: CD3, CD20+CXCR5, CD4+CXCR5, Foxp3 and CD68. Results Overall immune infiltration irrespective of immune cell composition showed no significant correlation with the patients' overall survival in the TCGA-HNSC cohort. However, when focusing on different immune cell subpopulations, naïve B cells (p=0.0006), follicular T-helper cells (p<0.0001), macrophages (p=0.0042), regulatory T cells (p=0.0306), lymphocytes (p=0.0001), and cytotoxic T cells (p=0.0242) were identified as highly significant predictors of improved patient survival. Using immunohistochemical detection of these immune cells in a second independent validation cohort of 101 HNSCC patients, we confirmed the prognostic relevance of follicular T helper cells, cytotoxic T cells and lymphocytes. In multivariable analysis, HPV negativity and advanced UICC stages were identified as additional prognostic biomarkers associated with poor outcome. Conclusion Our study highlights the prognostic relevance of the immunological tumor environment in head and neck cancer and demonstrates that a more detailed analysis of immune cell composition and immune cell subtypes is necessary to accurately prognosticate. We observed the highest prognostic relevance for lymphocytes, cytotoxic T cells, and follicular T helper cells, suggesting further investigations focusing on these specific immune cell subpopulations not only as predictors of patient prognosis but also as promising targets of new immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Knebel
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Sandrina Körner
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Jan Philipp Kühn
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Silke Wemmert
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Lukas Brust
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Sigrun Smola
- Institute of Virology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Mathias Wagner
- Department of General and Surgical Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Rainer M. Bohle
- Department of General and Surgical Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Luc G. T. Morris
- Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Abhinav Pandey
- Weill Cornell School of Medical Sciences, New York City, NY, United States
| | - Bernhard Schick
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Maximilian Linxweiler
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
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Fiedler M, Off A, Eichberger J, Spoerl S, Schuderer JG, Taxis J, Bauer RJ, Schreml S, Reichert TE, Ettl T, Weber F. OSCC in Never-Smokers and Never-Drinkers Is Associated with Increased Expression of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes and Better Survival. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:2688. [PMID: 37345025 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15102688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical, histopathologic, and immunologic differences of oral squamous cell carcinoma of never-smokers/never-drinkers and smokers/drinkers. Immunohistochemical staining for CD4, CD8, FoxP3, CD1a, and p16 was performed in 131 oral squamous cell carcinomas from smokers/drinkers and never-smokers/never-drinkers. Associations of smoking/drinking status with clinicopathologic data, immunohistochemical antibody expression, and survival were examined. Oral squamous cell carcinoma in never-smokers/never-drinkers was associated with the female gender (p < 0.001). Never-smokers/never-drinkers were older at diagnosis than smokers/drinkers (p < 0.001). Never-smokers/never-drinkers had more tumors in the maxilla, mandible, and tongue (p < 0.001). Pre-existing oral potentially malignant disorders appeared to be more common in never-smokers/never-drinkers (p < 0.001). Perineural invasion was more common in smokers/drinkers (p = 0.039). Never-smoking/never-drinking was associated with better overall survival (p = 0.004) and disease-specific survival (p = 0.029). High CD4+ T cell infiltration was associated with never-smoking/never-drinking (p = 0.008). Never-smokers/never-drinkers also showed increased CD8+ T cell infiltration (p = 0.001) and increased FoxP3+ Treg infiltration (p = 0.023). Furthermore, the total group of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was associated with never smoking/never drinking (p = 0.005). To conclude oral squamous cell carcinoma of the never-smokers/never-drinkers appears to be a distinct type of tumor, as it appears to have unique clinical and pathologic features and a more immunogenic microenvironment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Fiedler
- Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Alisa Off
- Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Insitute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Jonas Eichberger
- Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Steffen Spoerl
- Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Johannes G Schuderer
- Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Juergen Taxis
- Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Richard J Bauer
- Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center for Medical Biotechnology, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stephan Schreml
- Department of Dermatology, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Torsten E Reichert
- Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Ettl
- Department of Cranio- and Maxillofacial Surgery, Hospital of the University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Florian Weber
- Insitute of Pathology, University of Regensburg, Franz-Josef-Strauß-Allee 11, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
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30
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Taverna C, Franchi A. Role of Surgical Pathologist for Detection of Immunooncologic Predictive Factors in Head and Neck Cancer. Adv Anat Pathol 2023; 30:167-173. [PMID: 36175939 DOI: 10.1097/pap.0000000000000374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has shown promising results in the treatment of recurrent and metastatic head and neck cancers. Antiprogrammed cell death (PD)-1 therapies have been recently approved in this setting and they are currently tested also in the treatment of locally advanced diseases and in the neoadjuvant setting. However, the clinical benefits of these treatments have been quite variable, hence the need to select those patients who may obtain the maximal efficacy through the identification of predictive biomarkers. Currently, PD-L1 immunohistochemical expression by tumor and immune cells is the most widely used predictive biomarker for immunotherapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Nevertheless, patients with PD-L1 - tumors may still respond to treatments, thereby emphasizing the need for the identification of other predictive biomarkers. In this review, we summarize the current data on histologic and molecular parameters that can be used to select patients with head and neck cancers for immunotherapy, with a focus on squamous cell carcinoma and salivary gland carcinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Taverna
- Department of Translational Research and of New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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31
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Soopanit T, Laokulrath N, Chayopasakul V, Pongsapich W. Prognostic value and clinicopathological status of PD-L1 expression and CD8+ TILs in oral squamous cell cancer patients with or without traditional risk factors. Head Neck 2023; 45:1017-1025. [PMID: 36811208 DOI: 10.1002/hed.27330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Non-smokers, non-drinkers, and non-betel quid chewers (NSNDNBs) with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) have poor survival outcomes. Tumor microenvironment based on PD-L1/CD8+ T cell infiltrated lymphocyte (TIL) proportion is proposed as a prognostic indicator. METHODS Immunohistochemistry staining was performed on OSCC samples from 64 patients. The PD-L1/CD8+ TILs were scored and stratified into four groups. Disease-free survival (DFS) was analyzed using a Cox regression model. RESULTS OSCC in NSNDNB patients was associated with female sex, T1-2 classification, and PD-L1 positivity. Low CD8+ TILs correlated with perineural invasion. High CD8+ TILs correlated with improved DFS. PD-L1 positivity was not correlated with DFS. Type IV tumor microenvironment yielded the highest DFS (85%). CONCLUSION NSNDNB status relates to PD-L1 expression regardless of CD8+ TILs infiltration. Type IV tumor microenvironment was associated with the best DFS. High CD8+ TILs resulted in better survival, while PD-L1 positivity alone was not correlated to DFS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanion Soopanit
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Chulabhorn Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Natthawadee Laokulrath
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Veeruth Chayopasakul
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Warut Pongsapich
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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John J, Chen SMY, Woolaver RA, Ge H, Vashisht M, Huang Z, Chen Z, Wang JH. Host-specific differences in top-expanded TCR clonotypes correlate with divergent outcomes of anti-PD-L1 treatment in responders versus non-responders. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1100520. [PMID: 37051229 PMCID: PMC10084475 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1100520] [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: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized cancer treatment; however, the responses to ICI treatment are highly variable in different individuals and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we employed a mouse squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) model where tumor-bearing recipients diverged into responders (R) versus non-responders (NR) upon anti-PD-L1 treatment. We performed in-depth TCRβ sequencing with immunoSEQ platform to delineate the differences in CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). We found that R and NR CD8 TILs both exhibited evidence of clonal expansion, suggesting activation regardless of response status. We detected no differences in clonal expansion or clonal diversity indexes between R vs. NR. However, the top expanded (>1%) TCRβ clonotypes appeared to be mutually exclusive between R and NR CD8 TILs, showing a preferential expansion of distinct TCRβ clonotypes in response to the same SCC tumor in R vs. NR. Notably, the mutual exclusivity of TCR clonotypes in R vs. NR was only observed when top TCRβ clonotypes were counted, because such top-expanded clonotypes are present in the opposite outcome group at a much lower frequency. Many TCRβ sequences were detected in only one recipient at a high frequency, implicating highly individualized anti-tumor immune responses. We conclude that differences in the clonal frequency of top TCR clonotypes between R and NR CD8 TILs may be one of the factors underlying differential anti-PD-L1 responses. This notion may offer a novel explanation for variable ICI responses in different individuals, which may substantially impact the development of new strategies for personalized cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessy John
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Samantha M. Y. Chen
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Rachel A. Woolaver
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Huaibin Ge
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Monika Vashisht
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Ziyu Huang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center Biostatistics Facility, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Zhangguo Chen
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jing H. Wang
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
- Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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Starska-Kowarska K. The Role of Different Immunocompetent Cell Populations in the Pathogenesis of Head and Neck Cancer-Regulatory Mechanisms of Pro- and Anti-Cancer Activity and Their Impact on Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:1642. [PMID: 36980527 PMCID: PMC10046400 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the most aggressive and heterogeneous groups of human neoplasms. HNSCC is characterized by high morbidity, accounting for 3% of all cancers, and high mortality with ~1.5% of all cancer deaths. It was the most common cancer worldwide in 2020, according to the latest GLOBOCAN data, representing the seventh most prevalent human malignancy. Despite great advances in surgical techniques and the application of modern combinations and cytotoxic therapies, HNSCC remains a leading cause of death worldwide with a low overall survival rate not exceeding 40-60% of the patient population. The most common causes of death in patients are its frequent nodal metastases and local neoplastic recurrences, as well as the relatively low response to treatment and severe drug resistance. Much evidence suggests that the tumour microenvironment (TME), tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and circulating various subpopulations of immunocompetent cells, such regulatory T cells (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs), cytotoxic CD3+CD8+ T cells (CTLs) and CD3+CD4+ T helper type 1/2/9/17 (Th1/Th2/Th9/Th17) lymphocytes, T follicular helper cells (Tfh) and CD56dim/CD16bright activated natural killer cells (NK), carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), tumour-associated neutrophils (N1/N2 TANs), as well as tumour-associated macrophages (M1/M2 phenotype TAMs) can affect initiation, progression and spread of HNSCC and determine the response to immunotherapy. Rapid advances in the field of immuno-oncology and the constantly growing knowledge of the immunosuppressive mechanisms and effects of tumour cancer have allowed for the use of effective and personalized immunotherapy as a first-line therapeutic procedure or an essential component of a combination therapy for primary, relapsed and metastatic HNSCC. This review presents the latest reports and molecular studies regarding the anti-tumour role of selected subpopulations of immunocompetent cells in the pathogenesis of HNSCC, including HPV+ve (HPV+) and HPV-ve (HPV-) tumours. The article focuses on the crucial regulatory mechanisms of pro- and anti-tumour activity, key genetic or epigenetic changes that favour tumour immune escape, and the strategies that the tumour employs to avoid recognition by immunocompetent cells, as well as resistance mechanisms to T and NK cell-based immunotherapy in HNSCC. The present review also provides an overview of the pre- and clinical early trials (I/II phase) and phase-III clinical trials published in this arena, which highlight the unprecedented effectiveness and limitations of immunotherapy in HNSCC, and the emerging issues facing the field of HNSCC immuno-oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Starska-Kowarska
- Department of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Clinical Physiology, Medical University of Lodz, Żeligowskiego 7/9, 90-752 Lodz, Poland; ; Tel.: +48-604-541-412
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology, EnelMed Center Expert, Drewnowska 58, 91-001 Lodz, Poland
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34
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Xiang Y, Gong M, Deng Y, Wang H, Ye D. T cell effects and mechanisms in immunotherapy of head and neck tumors. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:49. [PMID: 36872320 PMCID: PMC9985928 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01070-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck tumors (HNCs) are a common tumor in otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery, accounting for 5% of all malignant tumors in the body and are the sixth most common malignant tumor worldwide. In the body, immune cells can recognize, kill, and remove HNCs. T cell-mediated antitumor immune activity is the most important antitumor response in the body. T cells have different effects on tumor cells, among which cytotoxic T cells and helper T cells play a major killing and regulating role. T cells recognize tumor cells, activate themselves, differentiate into effector cells, and activate other mechanisms to induce antitumor effects. In this review, the immune effects and antitumor mechanisms mediated by T cells are systematically described from the perspective of immunology, and the application of new immunotherapy methods related to T cells are discussed, with the objective of providing a theoretical basis for exploring and forming new antitumor treatment strategies. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhen Xiang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Mengdan Gong
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yongqin Deng
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hongli Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated People Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China
| | - Dong Ye
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Affiliated Lihuili Hospital, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315040, Zhejiang, China.
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Almangush A, Alabi RO, De Keukeleire S, Mäkitie AA, Pirinen M, Leivo I. Clinical significance of overall assessment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in oropharyngeal cancer: A meta-analysis. Pathol Res Pract 2023; 243:154342. [PMID: 36758415 DOI: 10.1016/j.prp.2023.154342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The overall assessment of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) evaluated using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining has been recently studied in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC). METHODS We conducted a systematic review of Scopus, Ovid Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library to retrieve studies assessing TILs in HE-stained sections of OPSCC. We used fixed-effect models and random-effect models to estimate the pooled hazard ratios (HRs) and confidence intervals (CIs) for disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS) and disease-specific survival (DSS). RESULTS Eleven studies were identified that had analyzed the prognostic significance of TILs in OPSCC using HE-stained specimens. Our meta-analyses showed that a high infiltration of TILs was significantly associated with improved DFS (HR 0.39, 95%CI 0.24-0.65, P = 0.0003), OS (HR 0.38, 95%CI 0.29-0.50, P < 0.0001), and DSS (HR 0.32, 95%CI 0.19-0.53, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Findings of our meta-analysis support a growing body of evidence indicating that assessment of TILs in OPSCC using HE-stained sections has reliable prognostic value. The clinical significance of such assessment of TILs has been reported repeatedly in many studies on OPSCC. The assessment is cost-effective, feasible, easy to transfer from lab to clinic, and therefore can be incorporated in daily practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alhadi Almangush
- Department of Pathology, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 21, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland; Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Institute of Biomedicine, Pathology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland; Faculty of Dentistry, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya.
| | - Rasheed Omobolaji Alabi
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 63, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Industrial Digitalization, School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland
| | - Stijn De Keukeleire
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Hospital Ghent, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Antti A Mäkitie
- Research Program in Systems Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital P.O. Box 263, FI-00029 Helsinki, Finland; Division of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases, Department of Clinical Sciences, Intervention and Technology, Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matti Pirinen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), University of Helsinki, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland; Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, FIN-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ilmo Leivo
- Institute of Biomedicine, Pathology, University of Turku, 20520 Turku, Finland; Turku University Central Hospital, Turku, Finland
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Chen S, Yang Y, He S, Lian M, Wang R, Fang J. Review of biomarkers for response to immunotherapy in HNSCC microenvironment. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1037884. [PMID: 36860322 PMCID: PMC9968921 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1037884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma are one of the most common types of cancer worldwide. Although a variety of treatment methods such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy are widely used in diagnosing and treating HNSCC, the survival prognosis of patients has not been significantly improved in the past decades. As an emerging treatment approach, immunotherapy has shown exciting therapeutic effects in R/M HNSCC. However, the current screening methods are still insufficient, and there is a significant need for reliable predictive biomarkers for personalized clinical management and new therapeutic strategies. This review summarized the application of immunotherapy in HNSCC, comprehensively analyzed the existing bioinformatic studies on immunotherapy in HNSCC, evaluated the current methods of tumor immune heterogeneity and immunotherapy, and aimed to screen molecular markers with potential predictive significance. Among them, PD-1 has obvious predictive relevance as the target of existing immune drugs. Clonal TMB is a potential biomarker for HNSCC immunotherapy. The other molecules, including IFN-γ, CXCL, CTLA-4, MTAP, SFR4/CPXM1/COL5A1, TILs, CAFs, exosomes, and peripheral blood indicators, may have suggestive significance for tumor immune microenvironment and prognosis of immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoshi Chen
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Shizhi He
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Meng Lian
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Ru Wang
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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Brummel K, Eerkens AL, de Bruyn M, Nijman HW. Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes: from prognosis to treatment selection. Br J Cancer 2023; 128:451-458. [PMID: 36564565 PMCID: PMC9938191 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-02119-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are considered crucial in anti-tumour immunity. Accordingly, the presence of TILs contains prognostic and predictive value. In 2011, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis on the prognostic value of TILs across cancer types. Since then, the advent of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has renewed interest in the analysis of TILs. In this review, we first describe how our understanding of the prognostic value of TIL has changed over the last decade. New insights on novel TIL subsets are discussed and give a broader view on the prognostic effect of TILs in cancer. Apart from prognostic value, evidence on the predictive significance of TILs in the immune therapy era are discussed, as well as new techniques, such as machine learning that strive to incorporate these predictive capacities within clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen Brummel
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Anneke L Eerkens
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marco de Bruyn
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans W Nijman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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A ferroptosis-related prognostic model with excellent clinical performance based on the exploration of the mechanism of oral squamous cell carcinoma progression. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1461. [PMID: 36702843 PMCID: PMC9880000 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-27676-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
As a hot topic today, ferroptosis is closely involved in the progression and treatment of cancer. Accordingly, we built a prognostic model around ferroptosis to predict the overall survival of OSCC patients. We used up to 6 datasets from 3 different databases to ensure the credibility of the model. Then, through differentially expressed, Univariate Cox, and Lasso regression analyses, a model composed of nine prognostic-related differently expressed ferroptosis-related genes (CISD2, DDIT4, CA9, ALOX15, ATG5, BECN1, BNIP3, PRDX5 and MAP1LC3A) were constructed. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier curves, Receiver Operating Characteristic curves and principal component analysis used to verify the model's predictive ability showed the model's superiority. To deeply understand the mechanism of ferroptosis affecting the occurrence, development and prognosis of OSCC, we performed enrichment analysis in different risk groups identified by the model. The results showed that numerous TP53-related, immune-related and ferroptosis-related functions and pathways were enriched. Further immune microenvironment analysis and mutation analysis have once again revealed the correlation between risk score and immunity and TP53 mutation. Finally, the correlation between risk score and OSCC clinical treatment, as well as Nomogram show the brilliant clinical application prospects of the prognostic model.
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Ding Y, Chu L, Cao Q, Lei H, Li X, Zhuang Q. A meta-validated immune infiltration-related gene model predicts prognosis and immunotherapy sensitivity in HNSCC. BMC Cancer 2023; 23:45. [PMID: 36639648 PMCID: PMC9837972 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-023-10532-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor microenvironment (TME) is of great importance to regulate the initiation and advance of cancer. The immune infiltration patterns of TME have been considered to impact the prognosis and immunotherapy sensitivity in Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Whereas, specific molecular targets and cell components involved in the HNSCC tumor microenvironment remain a twilight zone. METHODS Immune scores of TCGA-HNSCC patients were calculated via ESTIMATE algorithm, followed by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to filter immune infiltration-related gene modules. Univariate, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate cox regression were applied to construct the prognostic model. The predictive capacity was validated by meta-analysis including external dataset GSE65858, GSE41613 and GSE686. Model candidate genes were verified at mRNA and protein levels using public database and independent specimens of immunohistochemistry. Immunotherapy-treated cohort GSE159067, TIDE and CIBERSORT were used to evaluate the features of immunotherapy responsiveness and immune infiltration in HNSCC. RESULTS Immune microenvironment was significantly associated with the prognosis of HNSCC patients. Total 277 immune infiltration-related genes were filtered by WGCNA and involved in various immune processes. Cox regression identified nine prognostic immune infiltration-related genes (MORF4L2, CTSL1, TBC1D2, C5orf15, LIPA, WIPF1, CXCL13, TMEM173, ISG20) to build a risk score. Most candidate genes were highly expressed in HNSCC tissues at mRNA and protein levels. Survival meta-analysis illustrated high prognostic accuracy of the model in the discovery cohort and validation cohort. Higher proportion of progression-free outcomes, lower TIDE scores and higher expression levels of immune checkpoint genes indicated enhanced immunotherapy responsiveness in low-risk patients. Decreased memory B cells, CD8+ T cells, follicular helper T cells, regulatory T cells, and increased activated dendritic cells and activated mast cells were identified as crucial immune cells in the TME of high-risk patients. CONCLUSIONS The immune infiltration-related gene model was well-qualified and provided novel biomarkers for the prognosis of HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinghe Ding
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Transplantation Center, The 3rd Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Ling Chu
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Department of Pathology, The 3rd Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Qingtai Cao
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Transplantation Center, The 3rd Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Hanyu Lei
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Transplantation Center, The 3rd Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Xinyu Li
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Transplantation Center, The 3rd Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
| | - Quan Zhuang
- grid.216417.70000 0001 0379 7164Transplantation Center, The 3rd Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China ,Research Center of National Health Ministry on Transplantation Medicine, Changsha, 410013 Hunan China
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Han F, Wang HZ, Chang MJ, Hu YT, Liang LZ, Li S, Liu F, He PF, Yang XT, Li F. Development and validation of a GRGPI model for predicting the prognostic and treatment outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Oncol 2023; 12:972215. [PMID: 36713509 PMCID: PMC9877611 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.972215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is among the most lethal and most prevalent malignant tumors. Glycolysis affects tumor growth, invasion, chemotherapy resistance, and the tumor microenvironment. Therefore, we aimed at identifying a glycolysis-related prognostic model for HNSCC and to analyze its relationship with tumor immune cell infiltrations. Methods The mRNA and clinical data were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), while glycolysis-related genes were obtained from the Molecular Signature Database (MSigDB). Bioinformatics analysis included Univariate cox and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analyses to select optimal prognosis-related genes for constructing glycolysis-related gene prognostic index(GRGPI), as well as a nomogram for overall survival (OS) evaluation. GRGPI was validated using the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. A predictive nomogram was established based on the stepwise multivariate regression model. The immune status of GRGPI-defined subgroups was analyzed, and high and low immune groups were characterized. Prognostic effects of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment and chemotherapy were investigated by Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) scores and half inhibitory concentration (IC50) value. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was utilized to validate the model by analyzing the mRNA expression levels of the prognostic glycolysis-related genes in HNSCC tissues and adjacent non-tumorous tissues. Results Five glycolysis-related genes were used to construct GRGPI. The GRGPI and the nomogram model exhibited robust validity in prognostic prediction. Clinical correlation analysis revealed positive correlations between the risk score used to construct the GRGPI model and the clinical stage. Immune checkpoint analysis revealed that the risk model was associated with immune checkpoint-related biomarkers. Immune microenvironment and immune status analysis exhibited a strong correlation between risk score and infiltrating immune cells. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) pathway enrichment analysis showed typical immune pathways. Furthermore, the GRGPIdel showed excellent predictive performance in ICI treatment and drug sensitivity analysis. RT-qPCR showed that compared with adjacent non-tumorous tissues, the expressions of five genes were significantly up-regulated in HNSCC tissues. Conclusion The model we constructed can not only be used as an important indicator for predicting the prognosis of patients but also had an important guiding role for clinical treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fei Han
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Shanxi Province Tumor Hospital, Shanxi Hospital Affiliated to Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Hong-Zhi Wang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Shanxi Province Tumor Hospital, Shanxi Hospital Affiliated to Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Min-Jing Chang
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology at Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China.,Shanxi Key Laboratory of Big Data for Clinical Decision, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Yu-Ting Hu
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology at Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Li-Zhong Liang
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology at Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Shuai Li
- Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology at Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Feng Liu
- Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Shanxi Province Tumor Hospital, Shanxi Hospital Affiliated to Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Pei-Feng He
- Medical Data Sciences, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Xiao-Tang Yang
- Department of Radiology, Shanxi Province Tumor Hospital, Shanxi Hospital Affiliated to Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Cell biology, Shanxi Province Tumor Hospital, Shanxi Hospital Affiliated to Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
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Boss MK, Harrison LG, Gold A, Karam SD, Regan DP. Canine oral squamous cell carcinoma as a spontaneous, translational model for radiation and immunology research. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1033704. [PMID: 36698398 PMCID: PMC9868558 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1033704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Improving outcomes for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients has been hindered by a lack of effective predictive animal models. Spontaneously occurring canine OSCC could help fill this gap. The objective of this study was to characterize the immune landscape of canine OSCC to advance understanding of how dogs could serve as a surrogate for human OSCC. Methods/Results Canine OSCC contains a heterogenous tumor immune microenvironment. CD3+ T cells were the predominant tumor infiltrating immune cell population; however, there was a wide range CD3+ T cell density across samples. The most common CD3+ T cell micro-anatomical distribution was defined as "pre-existing immunity", but the remaining 20% of tumors were characterized as "immunologically ignorant" or "excluded infiltrates" patterns. When compared to normal oral mucosa, the tumor gene expression pattern suggests that canine OSCC microenvironment is highly inflamed and characterized by the presence of an anti-tumor immune response dominated by cytotoxic\effector T cells and NK cells (CD8a, GZMA, OX40, and HLA-A); however, overexpression of genes associated with effector T cell exhaustion and microenvironmental immunosuppression was also identified (PD-1, LAG3, CXCL2). Correlations between CD3+ T cell density and immune gene expression revealed key genes associated with cytotoxic anti-tumor T cell responses (GZMA, GZMB, PRF1), co-stimulation of T cells (CD27, CD28, ICOS), and other immune processes, including Type I IFN response (TNF, TNFSF10), and T cell exhaustion (CTLA4, PD-1). CD3+ T cell density in canine OSCC was significantly correlated with a cytolytic activity score (mean PRF1 and GZMA expression), suggestive of active effector CD8 T cell function. CD204+ macrophages were the second most abundant tumor infiltrating immune cell, and when comparing to normal oral mucosa, two differently expressed genes linked to tumor associated macrophages and myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) were identified: CXCL2, CD70. Overexpression of CXCL2 was also identified in canine OSCC "T cell-high" tumors compared to "T cell-low" tumors. Discussion This study identified actionable immunotherapy targets which could inform future comparative oncology trials in canine OSCC: CTLA-4, PD-1, CXCL2. These data provide a good first step towards utilizing spontaneous canine OSCC as a comparative model for human OSCC radiation and immuno-oncology research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary-Keara Boss
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Lauren G. Harrison
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Alexandra Gold
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
| | - Sana D. Karam
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Daniel P. Regan
- Flint Animal Cancer Center, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, United States
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The prognostic impact of tumor-infiltrating B lymphocytes in patients with solid malignancies: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2023; 181:103893. [PMID: 36481308 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2022.103893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This study reviewed the prognostic effect of tumor-infiltrating B lymphocytes (TIBLs) on solid malignancies, to determine the potential role of TIBLs in predicting cancer patient's prognosis and their response to immunotherapy. A total of 45 original papers involving 11,099 individual patients were included in this meta-analysis covering 7 kinds of cancer. The pooled results suggested that high levels of TIBLs were correlated with favorable OS in lung, esophageal, gastric, colorectal, liver, and breast cancer; improved RFS in lung cancer; and improved DFS in gastrointestinal neoplasms. Additionally, TIBLs were significantly correlated with negative lymphatic invasion in gastric cancer, small tumor size in hepatocellular carcinoma, and negative distant metastasis in colorectal cancer. Additionally, TIBLs were reported as a discriminative feature of patients treated with immunotherapy with improved survival. We concluded that TIBLs play a favorable prognostic role among the common solid malignancie, providing theoretical evidence for further prognosis prediction for solid tumors.
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FAM3D as a Prognostic Indicator of Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma Is Associated with Immune Infiltration. COMPUTATIONAL AND MATHEMATICAL METHODS IN MEDICINE 2022; 2022:5851755. [PMID: 36510584 PMCID: PMC9741545 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5851755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Background Globally, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality. Hence, it is important to find effective biomarkers for the diagnosis and prediction of the prognosis of patients with HNSCC. FAM3D had been proven to be vital in other cancers. However, its predictive and therapeutic value in HNSCC is unclear. Therefore, it is valuable to explore the association between the expression level of FAM3D and its impacts on the prognosis and tumor microenvironment in HNSCC. Methods The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) dataset, the Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) dataset, and The Human Protein Atlas (THPA) website were used to assess HNSCC expressions in tumor and nontumor tissues. Then, we further conducted immunohistochemistry experiment as internal cohort to validate the same results. The Cox regression analysis, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and nomograms were performed to find the predictive prognostic value of FAM3D in HNSCC patients and its relationship with the clinicopathological features in HNSCC. The Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) dataset was utilized to externally verify the prognosis value of FAM3D in HNSCC. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GESA) was applied to search the molecular and biological functions of FAM3D. The association between FAM3D and immune cell infiltration was investigated with the Tumor Immune Estimating Resource, version 2 (TIMER2). The relationships between FAM3D expression and tumor microenvironment (TME) scores, immune checkpoints, and antitumor compound half-maximal inhibitory concentration predictions were also explored. Results In different datasets, FAM3D mRNA and protein levels were all significantly lower in HNSCC tissues than in normal tissues, and they were strongly inversely associated with tumor grade, stage, lymph node metastasis, and T stage. Patients with high-FAM3D-expression displayed better prognosis than those with low-FAM3D-expression. FAM3D was also determined to be a suitable biomarker for predicting the prognosis of patients with HNSCC. This was externally validated in the GEO dataset. As for gene and protein level, the functional and pathway research results of FAM3D indicated that it was enriched in alteration of immune-related pathways in HNSCC. The low-expression group had higher stromal and ESTIMATE scores by convention than the high-expression group. FAM3D expression were found to be positively correlated with immune infiltrating cells, such as cancer-associated fibroblasts, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, macrophage cells, T cell CD8+ cells, regulatory T cells, and T cell follicular helper cells. FAM3D's relationships with immune checkpoints and sensitivity to antitumor drugs were also investigated. Conclusion Our study explored the impact of FAM3D as a favorable prognostic marker for HNSCC on the tumor immune microenvironment from multiple perspectives. The results may provide new insights into HNSCC-targeted immunotherapy.
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Wahbi HS, Al Manadili A. Immunoexpression of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes(TILS) CD4 + and CD8 + in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) in Correlations with Clinicopathological Characteristics and Prognosis. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2022; 23:4177-4183. [PMID: 36580000 PMCID: PMC9971484 DOI: 10.31557/apjcp.2022.23.12.4177] [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: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed to analyze CD4 +and CD8 + TILs in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to correlate it with histologic grade of malignancy and clinicopathologic data. METHODS The sample was composed of 43 archived specimens. Clinical features and histological grade of malignancy were obtained. The infiltrating intensity of CD4 +, CD8 positive cells were assessed by immunohistochemistry. One-way ANOVA was used to study the association between CD4 +, CD8 + and the grade of OSCC. The cut-off values of the proposed diagnostic indices were received from calculating the coordinates of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. For clinicopathologic data Independent-Samples T test, Pearson Correlation Coefficient, Correlation Coefficient were used clinicopathologic characteristics. RESULTS CD4 +and CD8 + were observed in all specimens. CD4 + were more frequent in poorly differentiated specimens (74.14) (P= 0.021<0.05). CD8 + were more frequent in well- differentiated specimens (51.18). None of these correlations were significant (P=0.454>0.05). CD4 +/ CD8 ratio was higher in low-grade specimens (180.28) (P=0.017<0.05). No differences between CD4 +, CD8 +and CD4 +/ CD8 ratio between poorly- differentiated and moderately- differentiated groups ROC P value (0.370, 0.248, 0.126) respectively. there is a difference between CD4 +, CD4 +/ CD8ratio between poorly- differentiated and well- differentiated groups ROC P value (0.022, 0.341, 0.012) Sensitivity (0.857, 0.882), specificity (0.706, 0.857) respectively. and no differences between CD8 + poorly- differentiated and well- differentiated groups ROC P value (0.341). there is a difference between CD4 + between moderately - differentiated and well- differentiated groups ROC P value (0.038) Sensitivity (0.368), specificity (0,765). No significant correlation was obtained with clinicopathologic findings of OSCC. CONCLUSION CD4 + and CD4 +/ CD8 + ratio are independent prognostic factor in OSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ahmed Al Manadili
- Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Damascus University, Damascus, Syria.
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Chen L, Zhang X, Lin J, Wen Y, Chen Y, Chen CB. Construction and validation of a prognostic model based on stage-associated signature genes of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: a bioinformatics study. ANNALS OF TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2022; 10:1316. [PMID: 36660709 PMCID: PMC9843360 DOI: 10.21037/atm-22-5427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Background Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a malignancy of epithelial origin and with poor prognosis. Exploring the biomarkers and prognostic models that can contribute to early tumor detection is meaningful. A comprehensive analysis was conducted according to the stage-related signature genes of HNSCC, and a prognostic model was developed to validate their ability to predict the prognosis. Methods The transcriptome profiles and clinical information of HNSCC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) respectively. mRNA expressions of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed in stage I-II patients and stage III-IV patients from TCGA by R packages. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and core-gene network map were constructed, and Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to examine pathway enrichment. Kaplan-Meier, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO), and multivariate Cox regression were applied to establish a stage-associated signature model. A Spearman analysis was conducted to examine the correlations between the characteristic genes and immune cell infiltration. Kaplan-Meier analysis and a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used to test the effectiveness of the model. Univariate multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to assess whether the risk score was an independent prognostic indicator for HNSCC. Results In TCGA cohort, 5 genes (i.e., BRINP1, IL17A, ALB, FOXA2, and ZCCHC12) in the constructed prognostic risk model were associated with prognosis. Patients in the low-risk group had a better prognosis outcome than those in the high-risk group. The predictive power was good because all the area under the curve (AUC) of the risk score was higher than 0.6. Risk score [hazard ratio (HR) =1.985; P<0.001] was an independent risk factor for the prognosis of HNSCC. The results in the GEO cohort were consistent with those in the TCGA cohort. Conclusions We constructed and verified a prognostic risk model of stage-related signature genes for HNSCC based on the GEO and TCGA data. Due to the good predictive accuracy of this model, the prognosis of and the tumor immune cell infiltration with patients can be estimated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizhu Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China;,Cancer Bio-Immunotherapy Center, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China;,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Xiaofei Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Shanghai, China;,Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Lin
- Department of Gynecology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yaoming Wen
- Fujian Institute of Microbiology, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Medical Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China;,Cancer Bio-Immunotherapy Center, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China;,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chuan-Ben Chen
- Cancer Bio-Immunotherapy Center, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China;,Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Translational Cancer Medicine, Fuzhou, China;,Department of Radiation Oncology, Clinical Oncology School of Fujian Medical University, Fujian Cancer Hospital, Fuzhou, China
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He Y, Li Y, Xiang J, Huang X, Zhao M, Wang Y, Chen R. TYK2 correlates with immune infiltration: A prognostic marker for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Front Genet 2022; 13:1081519. [DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1081519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) is a member of the Janus kinase (JAK) family and is involved in immune and inflammatory signaling. TYK2 is overexpressed in several types of cancers and promotes the invasion and proliferation of cancer cells. Nevertheless, the roles of TYK2 in the prognosis and immune infiltration of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remain to be elucidated. In this study, the expression of TYK2 in HNSCC was evaluated based on the data retrieved from multiple databases and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. The prognostic potential of TYK2 in patients with HNSCC was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis. A TYK2-related risk assessment model was subsequently constructed by Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression analysis and stepwise multivariate Cox regression analysis. The association between the expression of TYK2 and the tumor immune microenvironment, immune checkpoints, and drug sensitivity was explored various packages in R. Cell function assays were finally used for exploring the effects of TYK2 on the growth and metastasis of HNSCC tumors. The expression of TYK2 was significantly upregulated in HNSCC and was found to be closely correlated with HPV status, gender, clinical grade, and TP53 mutation status. Survival analysis suggested that TYK2 is associated with better survival outcomes and acts as an independent prognostic indicator of HNSCC. The model constructed herein also performed well in terms of predicting patient prognosis. The expression of TYK2 was positively associated with the population of tumor-infiltrating immune cells, expression of immune checkpoint genes, and antitumor drug susceptibility. Functionally, TYK2 knockdown significantly promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HNSCC cell lines in vitro. The findings demonstrated that TYK2 could serve as a suppressor of tumor growth and holds significant promise as a novel biomarker for assessing the prognosis of patients with HNSCC and aid in immunotherapy against HNSCC.
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Pillai A, Valero C, Zanoni D, Navas K, Morris Q, Ganly I, Patel SG. Prognostic impact of autoimmune disease in oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma. J Surg Oncol 2022; 126:1183-1190. [PMID: 35870114 PMCID: PMC9613520 DOI: 10.1002/jso.27017] [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: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 06/10/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Recent literature has highlighted the role of the host in the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). In this study, we retrospectively examined the impact of autoimmune (AI) disorders as an aspect of the host status on survival outcomes in OSCC patients. METHODS From a departmental database of OSCC patients (n = 1369), 123 patients with an AI disorder were identified. AI and no-AI groups were compared for survival outcomes. RESULTS There were no significant differences in survival between groups for overall survival, disease-specific survival, local, regional, and distant recurrence-free probabilities. However, survival and recurrence-free probabilities were poorer in the AI group versus the no AI group. CONCLUSION Patients with AI disease trended towards worse outcomes. This suggests immune dysregulation in these patients may impact oncologic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Pillai
- Head and Neck Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Cristina Valero
- Head and Neck Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Daniella Zanoni
- Head and Neck Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Kathleen Navas
- Head and Neck Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Quaid Morris
- Head and Neck Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Ian Ganly
- Head and Neck Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Snehal G. Patel
- Head and Neck Service, Department of Surgery, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY
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The prognostic role of tumor associated macrophages in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Oral Oncol 2022; 135:106227. [DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2022.106227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 09/25/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Xu H, Du QC, Wang XY, Zhou L, Wang J, Ma YY, Liu MY, Yu H. Comprehensive analysis of the relationship between cuproptosis-related genes and esophageal cancer prognosis. World J Clin Cases 2022; 10:12089-12103. [PMID: 36483804 PMCID: PMC9724515 DOI: 10.12998/wjcc.v10.i33.12089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of the digestive system, with a 5-year survival rate of 15% to 50%. Cuproptosis, a unique kind of cell death driven by protein lipoylation, is strongly connected to mitochondrial metabolism. The clinical implications of cuproptosis-related genes in esophageal cancer, however, are mainly unknown.
AIM To identify cuprotosis-related genes that are differentially expressed in esophageal cancer and investigate their prognostic significance.
METHODS With |log fold change| > 1 and false discovery rate < 0.05 as criteria, the Wilcox test was used to evaluate the differentially expressed genes between 151 tumor tissues and 151 normal esophageal tissues. Cuproptosis-related genes were selected to be linked with prognosis using univariate Cox regression analysis. Genes were separated into high- and low- expression groups based on their cutoff value of gene expression, and the correlation between the two groups and overall survival or progression-free survival was investigated using the log-rank test. The C-index, calibration curve, and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve were used to assess a nomogram containing clinicopathological characteristics and cuproptosis-related genes.
RESULTS Pyruvate dehydrogenase A1 (PDHA1) was found to be highly correlated with prognosis in univariate Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio = 22.96, 95% confidence interval = 3.09-170.73; P = 0.002). According to Kaplan-Meier survival curves, low expression of PDHA1 was associated with a better prognosis (log-rank P = 0.0007). There was no significant correlation between PDHA1 expression and 22 different types of immune cells. Tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 15 (TNFSF15) (P = 3.2 × 10-6; r = 0.37), TNFRSF14 (P = 8.1 × 10-8; r = 0.42), H long terminal repeat-associating 2 (P = 6.0 × 10-8; r = 0.42) and galectin 9 (P = 3.1 × 10-6; r = 0.37) were all found to be considerably greater in the high PDHA1 expression group, according to an analysis of genes related to 47 immunological checkpoints. The low PDHA1 expression group had significantly lower levels of cluster of differentiation 44 (CD44) (P = 0.00028; R = -0.29), TNFRSF18 (P = 1.2 × 10-5; R = -0.35), programmed cell death 1 ligand 2 (P = 0.0032; R = -0.24), CD86 (P = 0.018; R = -0.19), and CD40 (P = 0.0047; R = -0.23), and the differences were statistically significant. We constructed a prognostic nomogram incorporating pathological type, tumor-node-metastasis stage, and PDHA1 expression, and the C-index, calibration curve, and ROC curve revealed that the nomogram’s predictive performance was good.
CONCLUSION Cuproptosis-related genes can be used as a prognostic predictor for esophageal cancer patients, providing novel insights into cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Xu
- General Surgery, Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Qian-Cheng Du
- Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Xin-Yu Wang
- General Surgery, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Ling Zhou
- General Surgery, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Ying-Ying Ma
- Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Meng-Yao Liu
- Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Xuhui Central Hospital, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Hua Yu
- General Surgery, Shanghai Fourth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200434, China
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Rühle A, Todorovic J, Spohn SSK, Gkika E, Becker C, Knopf A, Zamboglou C, Sprave T, Werner M, Grosu AL, Kayser G, Nicolay NH. Prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating immune cells and immune checkpoints in elderly head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma patients undergoing definitive (chemo)radiotherapy. Radiat Oncol 2022; 17:181. [DOI: 10.1186/s13014-022-02153-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background and purpose
Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) are associated with locoregional control (LRC) in head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients undergoing (chemo)radiotherapy. As immunosenescence results in reduced immune activity, the role of TILs in elderly HNSCC patients may differ compared to younger patients, providing a rationale to study the prognostic role of TILs and immune checkpoints (ICs) in this population.
Material and methods
Sixty-three HNSCC patients aged ≥ 65 years undergoing definitive (chemo)radiotherapy between 2010 and 2019 with sufficient material from pre-treatment biopsies were included in the analysis. Immunohistochemical stainings of CD3, CD4, CD8, PD-L1, TIM3, LAG3, TIGIT and CD96, and of osteopontin as an immunosenescence-associated protein were performed. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were determined using the Kaplan–Meier method, and Fine-Gray's models were used for locoregional failure (LRF) analyses.
Results
While there was no correlation between patient age and IC expression, osteopontin levels correlated with increasing age (r = 0.322, p < 0.05). Two-year OS, PFS, and LRC were 44%, 34%, and 71%, respectively. Increased LAG3 expression, both intraepithelial (SHR = 0.33, p < 0.05) and stromal (SHR = 0.38, p < 0.05), and elevated stromal TIM3 expression (SHR = 0.32, p < 0.05) corresponded with reduced LRFs. Absent tumoral PD-L1 expression (TPS = 0%) was associated with more LRFs (SHR = 0.28, p < 0.05). There was a trend towards improved LRF rates in elderly patients with increased intraepithelial CD3 + (SHR = 0.52, p = 0.07) and CD8 + (SHR = 0.52, p = 0.09) TIL levels.
Conclusion
LAG3, TIM3 and TPS are promising biomarkers in elderly HNSCC patients receiving (chemo)radiotherapy. Considering the frequency of non-cancer related deaths in this population, the prognostic value of these biomarkers primarily relates to LRC.
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