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Lee HP, Li CJ, Lee CC. EGFR overexpression and macrophage infiltration correlate with poorer prognosis in HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancer via STAT6 signaling. Head Neck 2024; 46:1294-1303. [PMID: 38497289 DOI: 10.1002/hed.27734] [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: 01/02/2024] [Revised: 02/16/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The prevalence of HPV-negative oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) is higher in Asian countries. Patients with HPV-negative OPC suffer poor outcomes. Multi-omics analysis could provide researchers and clinicians with more treatment targets for this high-risk group. We aimed to explore the prognostic significance of EGFR overexpression and macrophage infiltration in OPC, especially HPV-negative OPC in this study. METHODS EGFR alternation was evaluated with TCGA, PanCancer Atlas through cBioProtal. EGFR mRNA expression in HPV-negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma was analyzed using the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER 2.0). We also examined EGFR/STAT6/MRC1 expression in paraffin-embedded tissues from a p16-negative OPC cohort. The correlation between EGFR expression and macrophage activation was explored using Person's correlation coefficient. The impact of biomarkers or macrophage infiltration on 5-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves. RESULTS EGFR alteration rate was 15%, 13%, and 0% for HPV-negative HNSCC (excluding OPC), HPV-negative OPC, and HPV-positive OPC. High EGFR expression was associated with increased tumor infiltration of immune cells, such as macrophages. We observed positive correlations between EGFR, STAT6, and MRC1 expression in p16-negative OPC. Higher MRC1 expression was associated with poorer survival rates. CONCLUSIONS There is strong correlation between EGFR overexpression and M2 polarization in patients with p16-negative OPC. Immunotherapy with or without EGFR inhibitor could be considered in these high-risk patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huai-Pao Lee
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Nursing, Meiho University, Pingtung, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Jung Li
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Sciences, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, 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 Chiao Tung University, Taipei, Taiwan
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2
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Hendawi NY, Crane HL, Mehanna H, Bolt R, Lambert DW, Hunter KD. Fibroblasts from HPV-negative oropharynx squamous cell carcinomas stimulate the release of osteopontin from cancer cells via the release of IL-6. FRONTIERS IN ORAL HEALTH 2024; 5:1390081. [PMID: 38803348 PMCID: PMC11128591 DOI: 10.3389/froh.2024.1390081] [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: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction HPV-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) shows distinct biological and clinical behaviour when compared to HPV-negative OPSCC. The overall role of the tumour microenvironment (TME) in head and neck cancer progression and metastasis has been studied intensively, but differences in HPV-negative and HPV-positive OPSCCs are less understood. Objective To investigate the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and the functional interactions of normal tonsil fibroblasts (NTFs) and OP CAFs with HPV+ and HPV- OPSCC cells and explore novel candidates in tumour-fibroblast crosstalk. Materials and methods A retrospective cohort of 143 primary OPSCCs was characterised using HPV16/18 RNAScope assay, p16 IHC and ɑ-SMA. Four OPSCC, three NTF and 2 new OPSCC CAF cultures were used to assess the cytokine-based interactions using cytokine arrays on conditioned media (CM), followed by co-culture approaches to identify the role of individual cell types and the role of OPN (SPP1) and IL-6 in SCC/fibroblast communication. Results HPV status was associated with better overall survival. Although ɑ-SMA expression was observed in both OPSCC subtypes, it provided survival stratification only in the HPV-positive group (Log-Rank p = 0.02). Three normal tonsillar fibroblast cultures (NTFs) were characterised by induction of myofibroblastic and senescent phenotypes with similar reactivity to our published NOF phenotype. The OPSCC-derived CAF cultures were characterised and their baseline myofibroblastic and senescence phenotypes varied. Cytokine array analysis of CM to identify novel candidates in the crosstalk between OPSCC tumour cells and NTFs/CAFs identified differences in the cytokine profiles on comparison of HPV+ and HPV- OPSCC cells. Osteopontin (OPN/SPP1) was identified, particularly in HPV-negative OPSCC cell analyses. We have demonstrated that OPN was produced by the OPSCC cells and revealed an associated upregulation of IL-6 in fibroblasts. Treatment of NTFs with rOPN showed alteration in phenotype, including increased contraction and IL-6 production. Antibody-mediated inhibition of CD44v6 attenuated the production of IL-6 by OPN in NTFs. Conclusion This investigation with OPSCC fibroblasts provides novel insights into the role of CAFs in OPSCC mediated by IL-6 stimulated release of OPN from HPV negative OPSCC cells. The details of HPV-positive SCC cell/fibroblast cytokine crosstalk remain elusive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naeima Yahia Hendawi
- Academic Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Faculty of Dentistry, University of Benghazi, Benghazi, Libya
| | - Hannah L. Crane
- Academic Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Hisham Mehanna
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Robert Bolt
- Academic Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel W. Lambert
- Academic Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Keith D. Hunter
- Academic Unit of Oral Medicine and Pathology, School of Clinical Dentistry, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
- Liverpool Head and Neck Centre, Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
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3
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Baudouin R, Hans S, Lisan Q, Morin B, Adimi Y, Martin J, Lechien JR, Tartour E, Badoual C. Prognostic Significance of the Microenvironment in Human Papillomavirus Oropharyngeal Carcinoma: A Systematic Review. Laryngoscope 2024; 134:1507-1516. [PMID: 37642393 DOI: 10.1002/lary.31010] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The immune microenvironment of HPV-associated (HPV+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCCs) (HPV+OPSCCs) differs from that of HPV-independent oropharyngeal cancers (HPV-independent OPSCCs). The literature on the subject is very abundant, demanding an organized synthesis of this wealth of information to evaluate the hypothesis associating the favorable prognosis of HPV+OPSCC patients with a different immune microenvironment. A systematic review of the literature was conducted regarding the microenvironment of HPV+OPSCCs. DATA SOURCE MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. REVIEW METHODS A literature search was performed following PRISMA guidelines (Moher D. PLoS Med. 2009). The PEO (Population, Exposure, and Outcome) framework is detailed as follows: P: patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas, E: human papillomavirus (HPV), and O: histological and immunological composition of the tumoral microenvironment (TME). No meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS From 1,202 studies that were screened, 58 studies were included (n = 6,474 patients; n = 3,581 (55%) HPV+OPSCCs and n = 2,861(45%) HPV-independent OPSCCs). The presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), CD3+ in 1,733 patients, CD4+ in 520 patients, and CD8+ (cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL)) in 3,104 patients, and high levels of PD-L1 expression in 1,222 patients is strongly correlated with an improved clinical outcome in HPV+OPSCCs. CONCLUSION This systematic review provides the most comprehensive information on the immune microenvironment of HPV+OPSCCs to date. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and PD-L1 expression are associated with a favorable prognosis. B, CD8+ and resident memory cells densities are higher in HPV+OPSCCs. The importance of myeloid lineages is still a matter of debate and research. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE NA Laryngoscope, 134:1507-1516, 2024.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Baudouin
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Foch Hospital, Suresnes, France
- School of Medicine, UFR Simone Veil, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Paris Saclay University), Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - S Hans
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Foch Hospital, Suresnes, France
- School of Medicine, UFR Simone Veil, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Paris Saclay University), Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - Q Lisan
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Foch Hospital, Suresnes, France
- School of Medicine, UFR Simone Veil, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Paris Saclay University), Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - B Morin
- Department of Pathology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
- Department of Biological Immunology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
| | - Y Adimi
- Department of Pathology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
- Department of Biological Immunology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
| | - J Martin
- Department of Pathology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
- Department of Biological Immunology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
| | - J R Lechien
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Foch Hospital, Suresnes, France
- School of Medicine, UFR Simone Veil, Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (Paris Saclay University), Montigny-le-Bretonneux, France
| | - E Tartour
- Department of Biological Immunology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
| | - C Badoual
- Department of Pathology, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Université Paris Cité, INSERM, PARCC, Paris, France
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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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5
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Heng Y, Zhu X, Lin H, Jingyu M, Ding X, Tao L, Lu L. CD206 + tumor-associated macrophages interact with CD4 + tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and predict adverse patient outcome in human laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. J Transl Med 2023; 21:167. [PMID: 36864443 PMCID: PMC9983170 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-03910-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are major component in the tumor microenvironment (TME) and play regulatory role in tumor progression. We aimed to investigate the infiltration and prognostic value of TAMs in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) and to reveal the underlying mechanism of TAM subgroups in tumorigenesis. METHODS Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining were performed to define the tumor nest and stroma of LSCC tissue microarrays. CD206 + /CD163 + and iNOS + TAM infiltrating profiles were obtained and analyzed through double-labeling immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical staining. The recurrence-free (RFS) and overall survival (OS) curves based on the infiltration of TAMs were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. Infiltration of macrophages, T lymphocytes and their corresponding subgroups were analyzed in fresh LSCC tissue samples by flow cytometry. RESULTS We found that CD206+ rather than CD163+ M2-like TAMs were the most enriched population in the TME of human LSCC. CD206+ macrophages localized mostly in the tumor stroma (TS) rather than the tumor nest (TN) region. In contrast, relatively low infiltration of iNOS+ M1-like TAMs were found in the TS and almost none in the TN region. High level of TS CD206+ TAM infiltration correlated with poor prognosis. Interestingly, we identified a HLA-DRhigh CD206+ macrophage subgroup that was significantly associated with the tumor-infiltrating CD4+ T lymphocytes and showed different surface costimulatory molecule expression than that of the HLA-DRlow/-CD206+ subgroup. Taken together, our results indicate that HLA-DRhigh-CD206+ is a highly activated subgroup of CD206 + TAMs that may interact with CD4 + T cells through MHC-II axis and promote tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Heng
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoke Zhu
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People's Republic of China
| | - Hanqing Lin
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People's Republic of China
| | - Ma Jingyu
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People's Republic of China
| | - Xuping Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Tao
- ENT Institute and Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Eye & ENT Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200031, People's Republic of China.
| | - Liming Lu
- Shanghai Institute of Immunology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.
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6
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Gorvel L, Olive D. Tumor associated macrophage in HPV + tumors: Between immunosuppression and inflammation. Semin Immunol 2023; 65:101671. [PMID: 36459926 DOI: 10.1016/j.smim.2022.101671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Over the past few decades, with the rise of immunotherapies, tumor infiltrating immune cells were increasingly investigated. Indeed, they may represent biomarkers for patient outcome prediction, they may bear immune checkpoint markers that can be targeted by therapeutic antibodies and mechanistic studies may reveal how to tweak their activation profile so that we can re-direct them towards tumor cells. Macrophages possess a central place in tissue homeostasis for tissue remodeling and cleaning, transformed cell elimination, phagocytosis and regulation of inflammation via cytokine production. All these functions allow the discovery of approaches to target Tumor Associated Macrophages (TAMs) using immunotherapies. Indeed, TAMs express known immune checkpoint markers such as PD-L1, CD40, Sirp-α and markers such as CD163, CD204, TREM2, TREM1 associated with prognosis. In the context of therapies TAM may participate to antibody dependent cell phagocytosis (ADCP) thanks to FCγ-Receptors. Here, we will review the recent literature on TAMs in the specific context of HPV+ tumors. Indeed, HPV infection of mucosal tissue may lead to head and neck, cervical, penile, anal and vaginal cancers. HPV+ tumors exhibit a higher immune cell infiltrate, which relies on inflammation, immunosuppression and anti-viral response. In this context, and considering the many functions on macrophages, we will show the versatility of TAMs in a tumor microenvironment with viral infection features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurent Gorvel
- Tumor immunology laboratory, IBISA immunomonitoring platform, Cancer Research Center of Marseille, Marseille, France.
| | - Daniel Olive
- Tumor immunology laboratory, IBISA immunomonitoring platform, Cancer Research Center of Marseille, Marseille, France
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7
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Descamps G, Furgiuele S, Mhaidly N, Journe F, Saussez S. Immune Cell Density Evaluation Improves the Prognostic Values of Staging and p16 in Oropharyngeal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225560. [PMID: 36428652 PMCID: PMC9688704 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of oropharyngeal cancers (OPSCCs) has continued to rise over the years, mainly due to human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Although they were newly reclassified in the last TNM staging system, some groups still relapse and have poor prognoses. Based on their implication in oncogenesis, we investigated the density of cytotoxic and regulatory T cells, macrophages, and Langerhans cells in relation to p16 status, staging and survival of patients. Biopsies from 194 OPSCCs were analyzed for HPV by RT-qPCR and for p16 by immunohistochemistry, while CD8, FoxP3, CD68 and CD1a immunolabeling was performed in stromal (ST) and intratumoral (IT) compartments to establish optimal cutoff values for overall survival (OS). High levels of FoxP3 IT and CD1a ST positively correlated with OS and were observed in p16-positive and low-stage patients, respectively. Then, their associations with p16 and TNM were more efficient than the clinical parameters alone in describing patient survival. Using multivariate analyses, we demonstrated that the respective combination of FoxP3 or CD1a with p16 status or staging was an independent prognostic marker improving the outcome of OPSCC patients. These two combinations are significant prognostic signatures that may eventually be included in the staging stratification system to develop personalized treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Géraldine Descamps
- Department of Human Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMONS), Avenue du Champ de Mars, 8, B7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Sonia Furgiuele
- Department of Human Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMONS), Avenue du Champ de Mars, 8, B7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Nour Mhaidly
- Department of Human Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMONS), Avenue du Champ de Mars, 8, B7000 Mons, Belgium
| | - Fabrice Journe
- Department of Human Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMONS), Avenue du Champ de Mars, 8, B7000 Mons, Belgium
- Laboratory of Clinical and Experimental Oncology, Institute Jules Bordet, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Rue Meylemeersch, 90, B1070 Anderlecht, Belgium
| | - Sven Saussez
- Department of Human Anatomy and Experimental Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons (UMONS), Avenue du Champ de Mars, 8, B7000 Mons, Belgium
- Department of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, CHU Saint-Pierre, Rue aux Laines, 105, B1000 Brussels, Belgium
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +32-65-37-35-84
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8
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Tosi A, Parisatto B, Menegaldo A, Spinato G, Guido M, Del Mistro A, Bussani R, Zanconati F, Tofanelli M, Tirelli G, Boscolo-Rizzo P, Rosato A. The immune microenvironment of HPV-positive and HPV-negative oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma: a multiparametric quantitative and spatial analysis unveils a rationale to target treatment-naïve tumors with immune checkpoint inhibitors. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:279. [PMID: 36123711 PMCID: PMC9487049 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02481-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) are approved for treatment of recurrent or metastatic oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in the first- and second-line settings. However, only 15-20% of patients benefit from this treatment, a feature increasingly ascribed to the peculiar characteristics of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME). METHODS Immune-related gene expression profiling (GEP) and multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) including spatial proximity analysis, were used to characterize the TIME of 39 treatment-naïve oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (OPSCC) and the corresponding lymph node metastases. GEP and mIF results were correlated with disease-free survival (DFS). HPV-positive tumors disclosed a stronger activation of several immune signalling pathways, as well as a higher expression of genes related to total tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, CD8 T cells, cytotoxic cells and exhausted CD8 cells, than HPV-negative patients. Accordingly, mIF revealed that HPV-positive lesions were heavily infiltrated as compared to HPV-negative counterparts, with a higher density of T cells and checkpoint molecules. CD8+ T cells appeared in closer proximity to tumor cells, CD163+ macrophages and FoxP3+ cells in HPV-positive primary tumors, and related metastases. In HPV-positive lesions, PD-L1 expression was increased as compared to HPV-negative samples, and PD-L1+ tumor cells and macrophages were closer to PD-1+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Considering the whole cohort, a positive correlation was observed between DFS and higher levels of activating immune signatures and T cell responses, higher density of PD-1+ T cells and their closer proximity to tumor cells or PD-L1+ macrophages. HPV-positive patients with higher infiltration of T cells and macrophages had a longer DFS, while CD163+ macrophages had a negative role in prognosis of HPV-negative patients. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that checkpoint expression may reflect an ongoing antitumor immune response. Thus, these observations provide the rationale for the incorporation of ICI in the loco-regional therapy strategies for patients with heavily infiltrated treatment-naïve OPSCC, and for the combination of ICI with tumor-specific T cell response inducers or TAM modulators for the "cold" OPSCC counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Tosi
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Diagnostics, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Via Gattamelata 64, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - Beatrice Parisatto
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Anna Menegaldo
- Department of Neurosciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Padova, Treviso, Italy
| | - Giacomo Spinato
- Department of Medicine-DIMED, Section of Pathology, University of Padova, Treviso, Italy
| | - Maria Guido
- Department of Neurosciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Padova, Treviso, Italy
| | - Annarosa Del Mistro
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Diagnostics, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Via Gattamelata 64, 35128, Padova, Italy
| | - Rossana Bussani
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Pathology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Zanconati
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Pathology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Margherita Tofanelli
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Giancarlo Tirelli
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Paolo Boscolo-Rizzo
- Department of Neurosciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Padova, Treviso, Italy
- Department of Medical, Surgical and Health Sciences, Section of Otolaryngology, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Antonio Rosato
- Immunology and Molecular Oncology Diagnostics, Veneto Institute of Oncology IOV-IRCCS, Via Gattamelata 64, 35128, Padova, Italy.
- Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
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9
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Powell SF, Vu L, Spanos WC, Pyeon D. The Key Differences between Human Papillomavirus-Positive and -Negative Head and Neck Cancers: Biological and Clinical Implications. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5206. [PMID: 34680354 PMCID: PMC8533896 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13205206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a unique malignancy associated with two distinct risk factors: exposure to typical carcinogens and infection of human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV encodes the potent oncoproteins E6 and E7, which bypass many important oncogenic processes and result in cancer development. In contrast, HPV-negative HNSCC is developed through multiple mutations in diverse oncogenic driver genes. While the risk factors associated with HPV-positive and HPV-negative HNSCCs are discrete, HNSCC patients still show highly complex molecular signatures, immune infiltrations, and treatment responses even within the same anatomical subtypes. Here, we summarize the current understanding of biological mechanisms, treatment approaches, and clinical outcomes in comparison between HPV-positive and -negative HNSCCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven F. Powell
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD 57104, USA;
| | - Lexi Vu
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
| | - William C. Spanos
- Cancer Biology and Immunotherapies Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD 57104, USA;
| | - Dohun Pyeon
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
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Brewczyński A, Jabłońska B, Mazurek AM, Mrochem-Kwarciak J, Mrowiec S, Śnietura M, Kentnowski M, Kołosza Z, Składowski K, Rutkowski T. Comparison of Selected Immune and Hematological Parameters and Their Impact on Survival in Patients with HPV-Related and HPV-Unrelated Oropharyngeal Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13133256. [PMID: 34209764 PMCID: PMC8268778 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13133256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 06/20/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary This is a research article on oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). The aim of the study was to assess and compare basic immune parameters and ratios in patients with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)+ and HPV− OPC, before and after radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy (CRT), and to investigate their impact on overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). The higher neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and systemic immune inflammation (SII) are significant adverse prognostic factors for HPV+ OPC patients, because they are significantly associated with both inferior OS and DFS in this group, whereas the higher platelet cells (PLT) count is significant adverse prognostic factor for HPV− OPC patients, because it is significantly associated with inferior OS and DFS in this group. This study confirmed that determination of HPV etiology as well as analysis of various hematological and immune parameters should be a standard management in OPC patients in order to properly treat them for improved prognosis. Abstract Several immune and hematological parameters are associated with survival in patients with oropharyngeal cancer (OPC). The aim of the study was to analyze selected immune and hematological parameters of patients with HPV-related (HPV+) and HPV-unrelated (HPV−) OPC, before and after radiotherapy/chemoradiotherapy (RT/CRT) and to assess the impact of these parameters on survival. One hundred twenty seven patients with HPV+ and HPV− OPC, treated with RT alone or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT), were included. Patients were divided according to HPV status. Confirmation of HPV etiology was obtained from FFPE (Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded) tissue samples and/or extracellular circulating HPV DNA was determined. The pre-treatment and post-treatment laboratory blood parameters were compared in both groups. The neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and systemic immune inflammation (SII) index were calculated. The impact of these parameters on overall (OS) and disease-free (DFS) survival was analyzed. In HPV+ patients, a high pre-treatment white blood cells (WBC) count (>8.33 /mm3), NLR (>2.13), SII (>448.60) significantly correlated with reduced OS, whereas high NLR (>2.29), SII (>462.58) significantly correlated with reduced DFS. A higher pre-treatment NLR and SII were significant poor prognostic factors for both OS and DFS in the HPV+ group. These associations were not apparent in HPV− patients. There are different pre-treatment and post-treatment immune and hematological prognostic factors for OS and DFS in HPV+ and HPV− patients. The immune ratios could be considered valuable biomarkers for risk stratification and differentiation for HPV− and HPV+ OPC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Brewczyński
- I Radiation and Clinical Oncology Department of Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 44-102 Gliwice Branch, Poland; (A.B.); (M.K.); (K.S.); (T.R.)
| | - Beata Jabłońska
- Department of Digestive Tract Surgery, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Agnieszka Maria Mazurek
- Centre for Translational Research and Molecular Biology of Cancer of Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 44-102 Gliwice Branch, Poland;
| | - Jolanta Mrochem-Kwarciak
- The Analytics and Clinical Biochemistry Department of Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 44-102 Gliwice Branch, Poland;
| | - Sławomir Mrowiec
- Department of Digestive Tract Surgery, Medical University of Silesia, 40-752 Katowice, Poland;
| | - Mirosław Śnietura
- Tumor Pathology Department of Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 44-102 Gliwice Branch, Poland;
| | - Marek Kentnowski
- I Radiation and Clinical Oncology Department of Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 44-102 Gliwice Branch, Poland; (A.B.); (M.K.); (K.S.); (T.R.)
| | - Zofia Kołosza
- Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics of Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 44-102 Gliwice Branch, Poland;
| | - Krzysztof Składowski
- I Radiation and Clinical Oncology Department of Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 44-102 Gliwice Branch, Poland; (A.B.); (M.K.); (K.S.); (T.R.)
| | - Tomasz Rutkowski
- I Radiation and Clinical Oncology Department of Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology, 44-102 Gliwice Branch, Poland; (A.B.); (M.K.); (K.S.); (T.R.)
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Rafael TS, de Vries HM, Ottenhof SR, Hofland I, Broeks A, de Jong J, Bekers E, Horenblas S, de Menezes RX, Jordanova ES, Brouwer OR. Distinct Patterns of Myeloid Cell Infiltration in Patients With hrHPV-Positive and hrHPV-Negative Penile Squamous Cell Carcinoma: The Importance of Assessing Myeloid Cell Densities Within the Spatial Context of the Tumor. Front Immunol 2021; 12:682030. [PMID: 34194435 PMCID: PMC8236714 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.682030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Comprehensive analysis of tumor infiltrating myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment of penile squamous cell carcinoma (PSCC) is lacking. In this retrospective study, for the first time, PSCC resection specimens (N = 103) were annotated into the following compartments: intratumoral tumor (IT Tumor), intratumoral stroma (IT Stroma), peritumoral tumor (PT Tumor) and peritumoral stroma (PT Stroma) compartments. We then quantified CD14+, CD68+ and CD163+ myeloid cells within these compartments using an image analysis software and assessed their association with various clinical parameters, including high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) status. In the total cohort, hrHPV status, grade of differentiation, age and tumor size were associated with myeloid cell densities. hrHPV+ tumors had higher infiltration rates of CD14+, CD68+ and CD163+ myeloid cells in the IT tumor compartment (p < 0.001, for all) compared to hrHPV- tumors. Furthermore, when examining the association between compartment-specific infiltration and differentiation grade, increased myeloid cell densities in the IT tumor compartment were associated with a more advanced histological grade (p < 0.001, for all). This association remained significant when the hrHPV- cohort (N = 60) was analyzed (CD14+ p = 0.001; CD68+ p < 0.001; CD163+ p = 0.004). Subgroup analysis in the hrHPV+ group (N = 43) showed that high infiltration rates of CD68+ and CD163+ cells in the PT tumor compartment were associated with lymph node (LN) metastasis (p = 0.031 and p = 0.026, respectively). Regarding the association between myeloid cell densities and disease-specific survival, the risk of death was found to decrease slightly as the number of myeloid cells in the IT tumor compartment increased (CD14+ p = 0.04; CD68+ p = 0.05; CD163+ p = 0.02). However, after adjusting for hrHPV, no independent association between myeloid densities and disease-specific survival were found. Altogether, these findings demonstrate the importance of assessing myeloid cell densities within the spatial context of the tumor. Further studies are needed to unravel the specific phenotype of myeloid cells residing in the different compartments, their effect on clinical parameters and the impact of hrHPV on the recruitment of myeloid cell populations in PSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tynisha S Rafael
- Department of Urology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Hielke M de Vries
- Department of Urology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sarah R Ottenhof
- Department of Urology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ingrid Hofland
- Core Facility Molecular Pathology & Biobanking, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Annegien Broeks
- Core Facility Molecular Pathology & Biobanking, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jeroen de Jong
- Department of Pathology, Reinier Haga Medisch Diagnostisch Centrum (MDC), The Hague, Netherlands
| | - Elise Bekers
- Department of Pathology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Simon Horenblas
- Department of Urology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Renée X de Menezes
- Biostatistics Center, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ekaterina S Jordanova
- Department of Urology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands.,Center for Gynecologic Oncology Amsterdam (CGOA), Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Oscar R Brouwer
- Department of Urology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Mi LL, Zhu Y, Lu HY. A crosstalk between type 2 innate lymphoid cells and alternative macrophages in lung development and lung diseases (Review). Mol Med Rep 2021; 23:403. [PMID: 33786611 PMCID: PMC8025469 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2021.12042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Type 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) are important innate immune cells that are involved in type 2 inflammation, in both mice and humans. ILC2s are stimulated by factors, including interleukin (IL)-33 and IL-25, and activated ILC2s secrete several cytokines that mediate type 2 immunity by inducing profound changes in physiology, including activation of alternative (M2) macrophages. M2 macrophages possess immune modulatory, phagocytic, tissue repair and remodeling properties, and can regulate ILC2s under infection. The present review summarizes the role of ILC2s as innate cells and M2 macrophages as anti-inflammatory cells, and discusses current literature on their important biological significance. The present review also highlights how the crosstalk between ILC2s and M2 macrophages contributes to lung development, induces pulmonary parasitic expulsion, exacerbates pulmonary viral and fungal infections and allergic airway diseases, and promotes the development of lung diseases, such as pulmonary fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and carcinoma of the lungs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Lan Mi
- Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China
| | - Yue Zhu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China
| | - Hong-Yan Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212001, P.R. China
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