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Weiner DM, Rook AH. Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am 2024; 38:1087-1110. [PMID: 39079789 DOI: 10.1016/j.hoc.2024.05.012] [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: 09/03/2024]
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a group of non-Hodgkin T-cell lymphomas that develop in and affect the skin but can potentially spread to other organs. There are many subtypes, the most common of which are mycosis fungoides, Sezary syndrome, lymphomatoid papulosis, and primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Cutaneous lymphoma is a common cause of recalcitrant chronic skin rash and notoriously mimics other dermatologic and hematologic conditions, often resulting in diagnostic delays of months to years. This review provides an introduction to cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, with a primary focus on the clinical presentation, diagnosis, immunopathogenesis, and management of the condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Weiner
- Department of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 601 North Caroline Street, 8th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
| | - Alain H Rook
- Department of Dermatology, Cutaneous Lymphoma Program, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Civic Center Boulevard, 1st Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
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2
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Schepps S, Xu J, Yang H, Mandel J, Mehta J, Tolotta J, Baker N, Tekmen V, Nikbakht N, Fortina P, Fuentes I, LaFleur B, Cho RJ, South AP. Skin in the game: a review of single-cell and spatial transcriptomics in dermatological research. Clin Chem Lab Med 2024; 62:1880-1891. [PMID: 38656304 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2023-1245] [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: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics (ST) are two emerging research technologies that uniquely characterize gene expression microenvironments on a cellular or subcellular level. The skin, a clinically accessible tissue composed of diverse, essential cell populations, serves as an ideal target for these high-resolution investigative approaches. Using these tools, researchers are assembling a compendium of data and discoveries in healthy skin as well as a range of dermatologic pathophysiologies, including atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and cutaneous malignancies. The ongoing advancement of single-cell approaches, coupled with anticipated decreases in cost with increased adoption, will reshape dermatologic research, profoundly influencing disease characterization, prognosis, and ultimately clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel Schepps
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan Xu
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Henry Yang
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jenna Mandel
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Jaanvi Mehta
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Julianna Tolotta
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Nicole Baker
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Volkan Tekmen
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Neda Nikbakht
- Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Paolo Fortina
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
- International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Working Group on Single Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics, Milan, Italy
| | - Ignacia Fuentes
- International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Working Group on Single Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics, Milan, Italy
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Directora de Investigación Fundación DEBRA Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Bonnie LaFleur
- International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Working Group on Single Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics, Milan, Italy
- R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, University of Arizona Cancer Center, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Raymond J Cho
- International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Working Group on Single Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics, Milan, Italy
- Department of Dermatology, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Andrew P South
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology and Cancer Biology, 6559 Thomas Jefferson University , Philadelphia, PA, USA
- International Federation of Clinical Chemistry Working Group on Single Cell and Spatial Transcriptomics, Milan, Italy
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3
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Srinivas N, Peiffer L, Horny K, Lei KC, Buus TB, Kubat L, Luo M, Yin M, Spassova I, Sucker A, Farahpour F, Kehrmann J, Ugurel S, Livingstone E, Gambichler T, Ødum N, Becker JC. Single-cell RNA and T-cell receptor sequencing unveil mycosis fungoides heterogeneity and a possible gene signature. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1408614. [PMID: 39169943 PMCID: PMC11337020 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1408614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common subtype of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Comprehensive analysis of MF cells in situ and ex vivo is complicated by the fact that is challenging to distinguish malignant from reactive T cells with certainty. Methods To overcome this limitation, we performed combined single-cell RNA (scRNAseq) and T-cell receptor TCR sequencing (scTCRseq) of skin lesions of cutaneous MF lesions from 12 patients. A sufficient quantity of living T cells was obtained from 9 patients, but 2 had to be excluded due to unclear diagnoses (coexisting CLL or revision to a fixed toxic drug eruption). Results From the remaining patients we established single-cell mRNA expression profiles and the corresponding TCR repertoire of 18,630 T cells. TCR clonality unequivocally identified 13,592 malignant T cells. Reactive T cells of all patients clustered together, while malignant cells of each patient formed a unique cluster expressing genes typical of naive/memory, such as CD27, CCR7 and IL7R, or cytotoxic T cells, e.g., GZMA, NKG7 and GNLY. Genes encoding classic CTCL markers were not detected in all clusters, consistent with the fact that mRNA expression does not correlate linearly with protein expression. Nevertheless, we successfully pinpointed distinctive gene signatures differentiating reactive malignant from malignant T cells: keratins (KRT81, KRT86), galectins (LGALS1, LGALS3) and S100 genes (S100A4, S100A6) being overexpressed in malignant cells. Conclusions Combined scRNAseq and scTCRseq not only allows unambiguous identification of MF cells, but also revealed marked heterogeneity between and within patients with unexpected functional phenotypes. While the correlation between mRNA and protein abundance was limited with respect to established MF markers, we were able to identify a single-cell gene expression signature that distinguishes malignant from reactive T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nalini Srinivas
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Lukas Peiffer
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kai Horny
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Kuan Cheok Lei
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Terkild B. Buus
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Linda Kubat
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Meng Luo
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Menghong Yin
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ivelina Spassova
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Antje Sucker
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Farnoush Farahpour
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biophysics, University Duisburg-Essen, and Group of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cell Biology (Cancer Research), University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Jan Kehrmann
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Selma Ugurel
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Livingstone
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
| | - Thilo Gambichler
- Department of Dermatology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, Dortmund Hospital, University Witten/Herdecke, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Niels Ødum
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jürgen C. Becker
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Essen/Düsseldorf, Essen, Germany
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4
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De Masson A, Lazaridou I, Moins-Teisserenc H, Ram-Wolff C, Giustiniani J, Bagot M, Battistella M, Bensussan A. Pathophysiology of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas: Perspective from a French referral centre. Immunol Lett 2024; 268:106871. [PMID: 38801999 DOI: 10.1016/j.imlet.2024.106871] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) are a diverse group of malignant blood disorders characterized by initial skin infiltration, and sometimes, tumor spreading to lymph nodes, blood, and viscera. Mycosis fungoides is the most common form. Sézary syndrome is a distinctive form of CTCL marked by a significant presence of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood. These diseases are characterized by the plasticity and heterogeneity of the tumor cells in the different tissue compartments, and a difficulty in identifying these tumor cells for diagnostic purposes and therapeutic monitoring. Progress has been made in the understanding of the pathophysiology of these diseases in recent years, and we provide here a review of these advancements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adèle De Masson
- Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Centre coordinateur national du réseau de cancers rares INCa Lymphomes Cutanés, France; INSERM U976, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Paris, France.
| | | | - Hélène Moins-Teisserenc
- Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; INSERM U1160, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France; Laboratoire d'Hématologie Biologique, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France
| | - Caroline Ram-Wolff
- Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Centre coordinateur national du réseau de cancers rares INCa Lymphomes Cutanés, France
| | | | - Martine Bagot
- Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Centre coordinateur national du réseau de cancers rares INCa Lymphomes Cutanés, France; INSERM U976, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Maxime Battistella
- INSERM U976, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; Laboratoire de Pathologie, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, France
| | - Armand Bensussan
- INSERM U976, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France; Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; Mohammed VI Polytechnic University, Benguerir, Morocco
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5
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Jiang TT, Kruglov O, Akilov OE. Unleashed monocytic engagement in Sézary syndrome during the combination of anti-CCR4 antibody with type I interferon. Blood Adv 2024; 8:2384-2397. [PMID: 38489234 PMCID: PMC11127216 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023010043] [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: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Sézary syndrome (SS) is an aggressive leukemic expansion of skin-derived malignant CD4+ T cells. Drug monotherapy often results in disease relapse because of the heterogenous nature of malignant CD4+ T cells, but how therapies can be optimally combined remains unclear because of limitations in understanding the disease pathogenesis. We identified immunologic transitions that interlink mycosis fungoides with SS using single-cell transcriptome analysis in parallel with high-throughput T-cell receptor sequencing. Nascent peripheral CD4+ T cells acquired a distinct profile of transcription factors and trafficking receptors that gave rise to antigenically mature Sézary cells. The emergence of malignant CD4+ T cells coincided with the accumulation of dysfunctional monocytes with impaired fragment crystallizable γ-dependent phagocytosis, decreased responsiveness to cytokine stimulation, and limited repertoire of intercellular interactions with Sézary cells. Type I interferon supplementation when combined with a monoclonal antibody targeting the chemokine receptor type 4 (CCR4), unleashed monocyte induced phagocytosis and eradication of Sézary cells in vitro. In turn, coadministration of interferon-α with the US Food and Drug Administration-approved anti-CCR4 antibody, mogamulizumab, in patients with SS induced marked depletion of peripheral malignant CD4+ T cells. Importantly, residual CD4+ T cells after Sézary cell ablation lacked any immunologic shifts. These findings collectively unveil an auxiliary role for augmenting monocytic activity during mogamulizumab therapy in the treatment of SS and underscore the importance of targeted combination therapy in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony T. Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, Cutaneous Lymphoma Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Oleg Kruglov
- Department of Dermatology, Cutaneous Lymphoma Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
| | - Oleg E. Akilov
- Department of Dermatology, Cutaneous Lymphoma Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
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6
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Glass DR, Mayer-Blackwell K, Ramchurren N, Parks KR, Duran GE, Wright AK, Bastidas Torres AN, Islas L, Kim YH, Fling SP, Khodadoust MS, Newell EW. Multi-omic profiling reveals the endogenous and neoplastic responses to immunotherapies in cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Cell Rep Med 2024; 5:101527. [PMID: 38670099 PMCID: PMC11148639 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2024.101527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are skin cancers with poor survival rates and limited treatments. While immunotherapies have shown some efficacy, the immunological consequences of administering immune-activating agents to CTCL patients have not been systematically characterized. We apply a suite of high-dimensional technologies to investigate the local, cellular, and systemic responses in CTCL patients receiving either mono- or combination anti-PD-1 plus interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) therapy. Neoplastic T cells display no evidence of activation after immunotherapy. IFN-γ induces muted endogenous immunological responses, while anti-PD-1 elicits broader changes, including increased abundance of CLA+CD39+ T cells. We develop an unbiased multi-omic profiling approach enabling discovery of immune modules stratifying patients. We identify an enrichment of activated regulatory CLA+CD39+ T cells in non-responders and activated cytotoxic CLA+CD39+ T cells in leukemic patients. Our results provide insights into the effects of immunotherapy in CTCL patients and a generalizable framework for multi-omic analysis of clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Glass
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
| | - Koshlan Mayer-Blackwell
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Nirasha Ramchurren
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - K Rachael Parks
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - George E Duran
- Division of Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Anna K Wright
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | | | - Laura Islas
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Youn H Kim
- Division of Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Steven P Fling
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Cancer Immunotherapy Trials Network, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Michael S Khodadoust
- Division of Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Evan W Newell
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA.
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7
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Cherfan C, Chebly A, Rezvani HR, Beylot-Barry M, Chevret E. Delving into the Metabolism of Sézary Cells: A Brief Review. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:635. [PMID: 38790264 PMCID: PMC11121102 DOI: 10.3390/genes15050635] [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: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCLs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative disorders caused by the accumulation of neoplastic T or B lymphocytes in the skin. Sézary syndrome (SS) is an aggressive and rare form of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) characterized by an erythroderma and the presence of atypical cerebriform T cells named Sézary cells in skin and blood. Most of the available treatments for SS are not curative, which means there is an urgent need for the development of novel efficient therapies. Recently, targeting cancer metabolism has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer therapy. This is due to the accumulating evidence that metabolic reprogramming highly contributes to tumor progression. Genes play a pivotal role in regulating metabolic processes, and alterations in these genes can disrupt the delicate balance of metabolic pathways, potentially contributing to cancer development. In this review, we discuss the importance of targeting energy metabolism in tumors and the currently available data on the metabolism of Sézary cells, paving the way for potential new therapeutic approaches aiming to improve clinical outcomes for patients suffering from SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carel Cherfan
- BRIC, BoRdeaux Institute of onCology, UMR 1312, Inserm, Université de Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France; (C.C.); (H.R.R.); (M.B.-B.)
| | - Alain Chebly
- Center Jacques Loiselet for Medical Genetics and Genomics (CGGM), Faculty of Medicine, Saint Joseph University, Beirut P.O. Box 17-5208, Lebanon;
| | - Hamid Reza Rezvani
- BRIC, BoRdeaux Institute of onCology, UMR 1312, Inserm, Université de Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France; (C.C.); (H.R.R.); (M.B.-B.)
| | - Marie Beylot-Barry
- BRIC, BoRdeaux Institute of onCology, UMR 1312, Inserm, Université de Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France; (C.C.); (H.R.R.); (M.B.-B.)
- Dermatology Department, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Bordeaux, 33075 Bordeaux, France
| | - Edith Chevret
- BRIC, BoRdeaux Institute of onCology, UMR 1312, Inserm, Université de Bordeaux, 33000 Bordeaux, France; (C.C.); (H.R.R.); (M.B.-B.)
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8
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Zeng Z, Vadivel CK, Gluud M, Namini MRJ, Yan L, Ahmad S, Hansen MB, Coquet J, Mustelin T, Koralov SB, Bonefeld CM, Woetmann A, Geisler C, Guenova E, Kamstrup MR, Litman T, Gjerdrum LMR, Buus TB, Ødum N. Keratinocytes Present Staphylococcus aureus Enterotoxins and Promote Malignant and Nonmalignant T Cell Proliferation in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma. J Invest Dermatol 2024:S0022-202X(24)00377-4. [PMID: 38762064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2024.04.018] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is characterized by malignant T cells proliferating in a unique tumor microenvironment dominated by keratinocytes (KCs). Skin colonization and infection by Staphylococcus aureus are a common cause of morbidity and are suspected of fueling disease activity. In this study, we show that expression of HLA-DRs, high-affinity receptors for staphylococcal enterotoxins (SEs), by KCs correlates with IFN-γ expression in the tumor microenvironment. Importantly, IFN-γ induces HLA-DR, SE binding, and SE presentation by KCs to malignant T cells from patients with Sézary syndrome and malignant and nonmalignant T-cell lines derived from patients with Sézary syndrome and mycosis fungoides. Likewise, preincubation of KCs with supernatant from patient-derived SE-producing S aureus triggers proliferation in malignant T cells and cytokine release (including IL-2), when cultured with nonmalignant T cells. This is inhibited by pretreatment with engineered bacteriophage S aureus-specific endolysins. Furthermore, alteration in the HLA-DR-binding sites of SE type A and small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of Jak3 and IL-2Rγ block induction of malignant T-cell proliferation. In conclusion, we show that upon exposure to patient-derived S aureus and SE, KCs stimulate IL-2Rγ/Jak3-dependent proliferation of malignant and nonmalignant T cells in an environment with nonmalignant T cells. These findings suggest that KCs in the tumor microenvironment play a key role in S aureus-mediated disease activity in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziao Zeng
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Chella Krishna Vadivel
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Gluud
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin R J Namini
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lang Yan
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sana Ahmad
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Morten Bagge Hansen
- Blood Bank, Department of Clinical Immunology, State University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jonathan Coquet
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tomas Mustelin
- Department of Rheumatology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sergei B Koralov
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Charlotte Menne Bonefeld
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders Woetmann
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carsten Geisler
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emmanuella Guenova
- University Hospital Lausanne (CHUV), Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maria R Kamstrup
- Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thomas Litman
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lise-Mette R Gjerdrum
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark; Department of Pathology, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Terkild B Buus
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Niels Ødum
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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9
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Jiang TT, Cao S, Kruglov O, Virmani A, Geskin LJ, Falo LD, Akilov OE. Deciphering Tumor Cell Evolution in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas: Distinct Differentiation Trajectories in Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome. J Invest Dermatol 2024; 144:1088-1098. [PMID: 38036289 PMCID: PMC11034798 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms originating in the skin, with mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) representing the most common variants. The cellular origin of cutaneous lymphomas has remained controversial owing to their immense phenotypic heterogeneity that obfuscates lineage reconstruction on the basis of classical surface biomarkers. To overcome this heterogeneity and reconstruct the differentiation trajectory of malignant cells in MF and SS, TCR sequencing was performed in parallel with targeted transcriptomics at the single-cell resolution among cutaneous samples in MF and SS. Unsupervised lineage reconstruction showed that Sézary cells exist as a population of CD4+ T cells distinct from those in patch, plaque, and tumor MF. Further investigation of malignant cell heterogeneity in SS showed that Sézary cells phenotypically comprised at least 3 subsets on the basis of differential proliferation potentials and expression of exhaustion markers. A T helper 1-polarized cell type, intermediate cell type, and exhausted T helper 2-polarized cell type were identified, with T helper 1- and T helper 2-polarized cells displaying divergent proliferation potentials. Collectively, these findings provide evidence to clarify the relationship between MF and SS and reveal cell subsets in SS that suggest a possible mechanism for therapeutic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tony T Jiang
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Simon Cao
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Oleg Kruglov
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Aman Virmani
- School of Art and Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Larisa J Geskin
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Louis D Falo
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Oleg E Akilov
- Department of Dermatology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
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10
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Vadivel CK, Willerslev-Olsen A, Namini MRJ, Zeng Z, Yan L, Danielsen M, Gluud M, Pallesen EMH, Wojewoda K, Osmancevic A, Hedebo S, Chang YT, Lindahl LM, Koralov SB, Geskin LJ, Bates SE, Iversen L, Litman T, Bech R, Wobser M, Guenova E, Kamstrup MR, Ødum N, Buus TB. Staphylococcus aureus induces drug resistance in cancer T cells in Sézary syndrome. Blood 2024; 143:1496-1512. [PMID: 38170178 PMCID: PMC11033614 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2023021671] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Patients with Sézary syndrome (SS), a leukemic variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), are prone to Staphylococcus aureus infections and have a poor prognosis due to treatment resistance. Here, we report that S aureus and staphylococcal enterotoxins (SE) induce drug resistance in malignant T cells against therapeutics commonly used in CTCL. Supernatant from patient-derived, SE-producing S aureus and recombinant SE significantly inhibit cell death induced by histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor romidepsin in primary malignant T cells from patients with SS. Bacterial killing by engineered, bacteriophage-derived, S aureus-specific endolysin (XZ.700) abrogates the effect of S aureus supernatant. Similarly, mutations in major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II binding sites of SE type A (SEA) and anti-SEA antibody block induction of resistance. Importantly, SE also triggers resistance to other HDAC inhibitors (vorinostat and resminostat) and chemotherapeutic drugs (doxorubicin and etoposide). Multimodal single-cell sequencing indicates T-cell receptor (TCR), NF-κB, and JAK/STAT signaling pathways (previously associated with drug resistance) as putative mediators of SE-induced drug resistance. In support, inhibition of TCR-signaling and Protein kinase C (upstream of NF-κB) counteracts SE-induced rescue from drug-induced cell death. Inversely, SE cannot rescue from cell death induced by the proteasome/NF-κB inhibitor bortezomib. Inhibition of JAK/STAT only blocks rescue in patients whose malignant T-cell survival is dependent on SE-induced cytokines, suggesting 2 distinct ways SE can induce drug resistance. In conclusion, we show that S aureus enterotoxins induce drug resistance in primary malignant T cells. These findings suggest that S aureus enterotoxins cause clinical treatment resistance in patients with SS, and antibacterial measures may improve the outcome of cancer-directed therapy in patients harboring S aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chella Krishna Vadivel
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Andreas Willerslev-Olsen
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin R. J. Namini
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Ziao Zeng
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lang Yan
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Danielsen
- Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Maria Gluud
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emil M. H. Pallesen
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Karolina Wojewoda
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Amra Osmancevic
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Signe Hedebo
- Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Yun-Tsan Chang
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Centre (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Lise M. Lindahl
- Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Sergei B. Koralov
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Larisa J. Geskin
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY
| | - Susan E. Bates
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Columbia University Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York, NY
| | - Lars Iversen
- Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Thomas Litman
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rikke Bech
- Department of Dermatology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Marion Wobser
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Emmanuella Guenova
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Hospital Centre (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Maria R. Kamstrup
- Department of Dermatology, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Niels Ødum
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Terkild B. Buus
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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11
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Ødum AWF, Geisler C. Vitamin D in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma. Cells 2024; 13:503. [PMID: 38534347 DOI: 10.3390/cells13060503] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is characterized by the proliferation of malignant T cells in inflamed skin lesions. Mycosis fungoides (MF)-the most common variant of CTCL-often presents with skin lesions around the abdomen and buttocks ("bathing suit" distribution), i.e., in skin areas devoid of sun-induced vitamin D. For decades, sunlight and vitamin D have been connected to CTCL. Thus, vitamin D induces apoptosis and inhibits the expression of cytokines in malignant T cells. Furthermore, CTCL patients often display vitamin D deficiency, whereas phototherapy induces vitamin D and has beneficial effects in CTCL, suggesting that light and vitamin D have beneficial/protective effects in CTCL. Inversely, vitamin D promotes T helper 2 (Th2) cell specific cytokine production, regulatory T cells, tolerogenic dendritic cells, as well as the expression of immune checkpoint molecules, all of which may have disease-promoting effects by stimulating malignant T-cell proliferation and inhibiting anticancer immunity. Studies on vitamin D treatment in CTCL patients showed conflicting results. Some studies found positive effects, others negative effects, while the largest study showed no apparent clinical effect. Taken together, vitamin D may have both pro- and anticancer effects in CTCL. The balance between the opposing effects of vitamin D in CTCL is likely influenced by treatment and may change during the disease course. Therefore, it remains to be discovered whether and how the effect of vitamin D can be tilted toward an anticancer response in CTCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- August-Witte Feentved Ødum
- The LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Carsten Geisler
- The LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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12
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Patil K, Sher G, Kuttikrishnan S, Moton S, Alam M, Buddenkotte J, Ahmad A, Steinhoff M, Uddin S. The cross-talk between miRNAs and JAK/STAT pathway in cutaneous T cell lymphoma: Emphasis on therapeutic opportunities. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2024; 154:239-249. [PMID: 36216715 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.09.015] [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: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
Mycosis Fungoides (MF) and Sézary Syndrome (SS) belong to a wide spectrum of T cell lymphoproliferative disorders collectively termed cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCL). CTCLs represent an archetype of heterogeneous and dynamically variable lymphoproliferative neoplasms typified by distinct clinical, histological, immunophenotypic, and genetic features. Owing to its complex dynamics, the pathogenesis of CTCL remains elusive. However, in recent years, progress in CTCL classification combined with next-generation sequencing analyses has broadened the genetic and epigenetic spectrum of clearly defined CTCL entities such as MF and SS. Several large-scale genome studies have identified the polygenic nature of CTCL and unveiled an idiosyncratic mutational landscape involving genetic aberrations, epigenetic alterations, cell cycle dysregulation, apoptosis, and the constitutive activation of T cell/NF-κB/JAK-STAT signaling pathways. In this review, we summarize the evolving insights on how the intrinsic epigenetic events driven by dysregulated miRNAs, including the oncogenic and tumor-suppressive miRNAs, influence the pathogenesis of MF and SS. We also focus on the interplay between the JAK/STAT pathway and miRNAs in CTCL as well as the significance of the miRNA/STAT axis as a relevant pathogenetic mechanism underlying CTCL initiation and progression. Based on these biologic insights, the current status and recent progress on novel therapies with a strong biological rationale, including miRNA-targeted molecules and JAK/STAT-targeted therapy for CTCL management, are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalyani Patil
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Gulab Sher
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Shilpa Kuttikrishnan
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Safwan Moton
- College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33200, USA
| | - Majid Alam
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Rumailah Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Joerg Buddenkotte
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Rumailah Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Aamir Ahmad
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Rumailah Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar
| | - Martin Steinhoff
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Rumailah Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Medical School, Doha 24144, Qatar; Dept. of Dermatology, Weill Cornell Medicine-New York 10065, New York, USA.
| | - Shahab Uddin
- Translational Research Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Dermatology Institute, Academic Health System, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Rumailah Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha 3050, Qatar; Laboratory Animal Research Center, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar.
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13
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Akilov OE. What Does the Future Hold for Biomarkers of Response to Extracorporeal Photopheresis for Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome? Cells 2023; 12:2321. [PMID: 37759543 PMCID: PMC10527589 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182321] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is an FDA-approved immunotherapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, which can provide a complete response in some patients. However, it is still being determined who will respond well, and predictive biomarkers are urgently needed to target patients for timely treatment and to monitor their response over time. The aim of this review is to analyze the current state of the diagnostic, prognostic, and disease state-monitoring biomarkers of ECP, and outline the future direction of the ECP biomarker discovery. Specifically, we focus on biomarkers of response to ECP in mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome. The review summarizes the current knowledge of ECP biomarkers, including their limitations and potential applications, and identifies key challenges in ECP biomarker discovery. In addition, we discuss emerging technologies that could revolutionize ECP biomarker discovery and accelerate the translation of biomarker research into clinical practice. This review will interest researchers and clinicians seeking to optimize ECP therapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg E Akilov
- Cutaneous Lymphoma Program, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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14
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Huang D, Ma N, Li X, Gou Y, Duan Y, Liu B, Xia J, Zhao X, Wang X, Li Q, Rao J, Zhang X. Advances in single-cell RNA sequencing and its applications in cancer research. J Hematol Oncol 2023; 16:98. [PMID: 37612741 PMCID: PMC10463514 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-023-01494-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancers are a group of heterogeneous diseases characterized by the acquisition of functional capabilities during the transition from a normal to a neoplastic state. Powerful experimental and computational tools can be applied to elucidate the mechanisms of occurrence, progression, metastasis, and drug resistance; however, challenges remain. Bulk RNA sequencing techniques only reflect the average gene expression in a sample, making it difficult to understand tumor heterogeneity and the tumor microenvironment. The emergence and development of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technologies have provided opportunities to understand subtle changes in tumor biology by identifying distinct cell subpopulations, dissecting the tumor microenvironment, and characterizing cellular genomic mutations. Recently, scRNA-seq technology has been increasingly used in cancer studies to explore tumor heterogeneity and the tumor microenvironment, which has increased the understanding of tumorigenesis and evolution. This review summarizes the basic processes and development of scRNA-seq technologies and their increasing applications in cancer research and clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dezhi Huang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
| | - Naya Ma
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
| | - Xinlei Li
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
| | - Yang Gou
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
| | - Yishuo Duan
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
| | - Bangdong Liu
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
| | - Jing Xia
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
| | - Xianlan Zhao
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
| | - Xiaoqi Wang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China
| | - Qiong Li
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China.
| | - Jun Rao
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
| | - Xi Zhang
- Medical Center of Hematology, Xinqiao Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burn and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400037, China.
- Jinfeng Laboratory, Chongqing, 401329, China.
- National Clinical Research Center for Hematologic Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China.
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15
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Lefebvre MN, Borcherding N, Reis RJ, Mou E, Liu V, Jabbari A. Molecular techniques drive cutting edge advancements in management of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1228563. [PMID: 37654486 PMCID: PMC10465366 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1228563] [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: 05/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous 5T cell lymphoma (CTCL), characterized by malignant T cells infiltrating the skin with potential for dissemination, remains a challenging disease to diagnose and treat due to disease heterogeneity, treatment resistance, and lack of effective and standardized diagnostic and prognostic clinical tools. Currently, diagnosis of CTCL practically relies on clinical presentation, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry. These methods are collectively fraught with limitations in sensitivity and specificity. Fortunately, recent advances in flow cytometry, polymerase chain reaction, high throughput sequencing, and other molecular techniques have shown promise in improving diagnosis and treatment of CTCL. Examples of these advances include T cell receptor clonotyping via sequencing to detect CTCL earlier in the disease course and single-cell RNA sequencing to identify gene expression patterns that commonly drive CTCL pathogenesis. Experience with these techniques has afforded novel insights which may translate into enhanced diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for CTCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell N. Lefebvre
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Department of Dermatology, University of Iowa, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Nicholas Borcherding
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Ryan J. Reis
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Cancer Biology Graduate Program, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Eric Mou
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Vincent Liu
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, United States
| | - Ali Jabbari
- University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, United States
- Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, IA, United States
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16
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Borcherding N, Severson KJ, Henderson N, Ortolan LS, Rosenthal AC, Bellizzi AM, Liu V, Link BK, Mangold AR, Jabbari A. Single-cell analysis of Sézary syndrome reveals novel markers and shifting gene profiles associated with treatment. Blood Adv 2023; 7:321-335. [PMID: 35390145 PMCID: PMC9881051 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2021005991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a spectrum of diseases with varied clinical courses caused by malignant clonal proliferation of skin-tropic T cells. Most patients have an indolent disease course managed with skin-directed therapies. In contrast, others, especially in advanced stages of disease or with specific forms, have aggressive progression and poor median survival. Sézary syndrome (SS), a leukemic variant of CTCL, lacks highly consistent phenotypic and genetic markers that may be leveraged to prevent the delay in diagnosis experienced by most patients with CTCL and could be useful for optimal treatment selection. Using single-cell mRNA and T-cell receptor sequencing of peripheral blood immune cells in SS, we extensively mapped the transcriptomic variations of nearly 50 000 T cells of both malignant and nonmalignant origins. We identified potential diverging SS cell populations, including quiescent and proliferative populations shared across multiple patients. In particular, the expression of AIRE was the most highly upregulated gene in our analysis, and AIRE protein expression could be observed over a variety of CTCLs. Furthermore, within a single patient, we were able to characterize differences in cell populations by comparing malignant T cells over the course of treatment with histone deacetylase inhibition and photopheresis. New cellular clusters after progression of the therapy notably exhibited increased expression of the transcriptional factor FOXP3, a master regulator of regulatory T-cell function, raising the potential implication of an evolving mechanism of immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Borcherding
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
| | | | | | - Luana S. Ortolan
- Department of Dermatology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA
| | | | | | - Vincent Liu
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Department of Dermatology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | - Brian K. Link
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
| | | | - Ali Jabbari
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Department of Dermatology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Iowa City, IA
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17
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Peiffer L, Gambichler T, Buus TB, Horny K, Gravemeyer J, Furtmann F, Spassova I, Kubat L, Susok L, Stranzenbach R, Srinivas N, Ødum N, Becker JC. Phenotypic plasticity of malignant T cells in blood and skin of a Sézary syndrome patient revealed by single cell transcriptomics. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1090592. [PMID: 36761972 PMCID: PMC9905421 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1090592] [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: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Sézary Syndrome (SS) is an aggressive leukemic variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL). In SS patients, malignant T cells are circulating through the blood and cause erythroderma. Objective To compare the transcriptome of single cells in blood and skin samples from a patient with advanced SS. Methods We utilized combined single cell RNA and T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing (scRNA-seq). Results We scrutinized the malignant T cells in blood and skin in an unbiased manner without pre-sorting of cells. We observed different phenotypes of the same monoclonal malignant T-cell population, confirmed by TCR sequencing and inferred copy number variation analysis. Malignant T cells present in the circulating blood expressed genes resembling central memory T cells such as CCR7, IL7R and CD27. In the skin, we detected two major malignant T-cell populations: One subpopulation was closely related to the malignant T cells from the blood, while the other subpopulation expressed genes reminiscent of skin resident effector memory T cells including GZMB and NKG7. Pseudotime analysis indicated crucial transcriptomic changes in the transition of malignant T cells between blood and skin. These changes included the differential regulation of TXNIP, a putative tumor suppressor in CTCL, and the adaptation to the hypoxic conditions in the skin. Tumor cell proliferation in the skin was supported by stimulating interactions between myeloid cells and malignant T cells. Conclusions Using scRNA-seq we detected a high degree of functional heterogeneity within the malignant T-cell population in SS and highlighted crucial differences between SS cells in blood and skin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Peiffer
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), Essen, Germany,Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany,Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Thilo Gambichler
- Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany,*Correspondence: Thilo Gambichler,
| | - Terkild B. Buus
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kai Horny
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), Essen, Germany,Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jan Gravemeyer
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), Essen, Germany,Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Frauke Furtmann
- Department of Dermatology, University of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Ivelina Spassova
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), Essen, Germany,Department of Dermatology, University of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Linda Kubat
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), Essen, Germany,Department of Dermatology, University of Essen, Essen, Germany
| | - Laura Susok
- Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany
| | - René Stranzenbach
- Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, Venereology, and Allergology, Ruhr-University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Nalini Srinivas
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), Essen, Germany,Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Niels Ødum
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jürgen C. Becker
- Translational Skin Cancer Research, Deutsches Konsortium für Translationale Krebsforschung (DKTK), Essen, Germany,Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany,Department of Dermatology, University of Essen, Essen, Germany
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18
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Fay CJ, Awh KC, LeBoeuf NR, Larocca CA. Harnessing the immune system in the treatment of cutaneous T cell lymphomas. Front Oncol 2023; 12:1071171. [PMID: 36713518 PMCID: PMC9878398 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1071171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T cell lymphomas are a rare subset of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas with predilection for the skin with immunosuppressive effects that drive morbidity and mortality. We are now appreciating that suppression of the immune system is an important step in the progression of disease. It should come as no surprise that therapies historically and currently being used to treat these cancers have immune modulating functions that impact disease outcomes. By understanding the immune effects of our therapies, we may better develop new agents that target the immune system and improve combinatorial treatment strategies to limit morbidity and mortality of these cancers. The immune modulating effect of therapeutic drugs in use and under development for cutaneous T cell lymphomas will be reviewed.
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Malignant T cells induce skin barrier defects through cytokine-mediated JAK/STAT signaling in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Blood 2023; 141:180-193. [PMID: 36122387 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2022016690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a devastating lymphoid malignancy characterized by the accumulation of malignant T cells in the dermis and epidermis. Skin lesions cause serious symptoms that hamper quality of life and are entry sites for bacterial infection, a major cause of morbidity and mortality in advanced diseases. The mechanism driving the pathological processes that compromise the skin barrier remains unknown. Here, we report increased transepidermal water loss and compromised expression of the skin barrier proteins filaggrin and filaggrin-2 in areas adjacent to TOX-positive T cells in CTCL skin lesions. Malignant T cells secrete mediators (including cytokines such as interleukin 13 [IL-13], IL-22, and oncostatin M) that activate STAT3 signaling and downregulate filaggrin and filaggrin-2 expression in human keratinocytes and reconstructed human epithelium. Consequently, the repression of filaggrins can be counteracted by a cocktail of antibodies targeting these cytokines/receptors, small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of JAK1/STAT3, and JAK1 inhibitors. Notably, we show that treatment with a clinically approved JAK inhibitor, tofacitinib, increases filaggrin expression in lesional skin from patients with mycosis fungoides. Taken together, these findings indicate that malignant T cells secrete cytokines that induce skin barrier defects via a JAK1/STAT3-dependent mechanism. As clinical grade JAK inhibitors largely abrogate the negative effect of malignant T cells on skin barrier proteins, our findings suggest that such inhibitors provide novel treatment options for patients with CTCL with advanced disease and a compromised skin barrier.
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Miyashiro D, Sanches JA. Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome: clinical presentation, diagnosis, staging, and therapeutic management. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1141108. [PMID: 37124514 PMCID: PMC10140754 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1141108] [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: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) are cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. MF is the most common cutaneous lymphoma, and it is classified into classic Alibert-Bazin MF, folliculotropic MF, pagetoid reticulosis, and granulomatous slack skin, each with characteristic clinical presentation, histopathological findings, and distinct clinical behaviors. SS is an aggressive leukemic variant of cutaneous lymphoma, and it is characterized by erythroderma, lymphadenopathy, and peripheral blood involvement by malignant cells. There is a wide range of dermatological manifestations of MF/SS, and prompt recognition is essential for early diagnosis. Skin biopsy for histopathology and immunohistochemical analysis is imperative to confirm the diagnosis of MF/SS. Histopathology may also provide information that may influence prognosis and treatment. Staging follows the TNMB system. Besides advanced stage, other factors associated with poorer prognosis are advanced age, male gender, folliculotropism in histopathology of patients with infiltrated plaques and tumors in the head and neck region, large cell transformation, and elevated lactate dehydrogenase. Treatment is divided into skin-directed therapies (topical treatments, phototherapy, radiotherapy), and systemic therapies (biological response modifiers, targeted therapies, chemotherapy). Allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and extracorporeal photopheresis are other treatment modalities used in selected cases. This review discusses the main clinical characteristics, the histopathological/immunohistochemical findings, the staging system, and the therapeutic management of MF/SS.
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21
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Su T, Duran GE, Kwang AC, Ramchurren N, Fling SP, Kim YH, Khodadoust MS. Single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals predictive features of response to pembrolizumab in Sézary syndrome. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2115197. [PMID: 36046812 PMCID: PMC9423847 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2115197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab is effective in treating Sézary syndrome, a leukemic variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Our purpose was to investigate the effects of pembrolizumab on healthy and malignant T cells in Sézary syndrome and to discover characteristics that predict pembrolizumab response. Samples were analyzed before and after 3 weeks of pembrolizumab treatment using single-cell RNA-sequencing of 118,961 peripheral blood T cells isolated from six Sézary syndrome patients. T-cell receptor clonotyping, bulk RNA-seq signatures, and whole-exome data were integrated to classify malignant T-cells and their underlying subclonal heterogeneity. We found that responses to pembrolizumab were associated with lower KIR3DL2 expression within Sézary T cells. Pembrolizumab modulated Sézary cell gene expression of T-cell activation associated genes. The CD8 effector populations included clonally expanded populations with a strong cytotoxic profile. Expansions of CD8 terminal effector and CD8 effector memory T-cell populations were observed in responding patients after treatment. We observed intrapatient Sézary cell heterogeneity including subclonal segregation of a coding mutation and copy number variation. Our study reveals differential effects of pembrolizumab in both malignant and healthy T cells. These data support further study of KIR3DL2 expression and CD8 immune populations as predictive biomarkers of pembrolizumab response in Sézary syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianying Su
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - George E. Duran
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Alexa C. Kwang
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Nirasha Ramchurren
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Steven P. Fling
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Youn H. Kim
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Michael S. Khodadoust
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Department of Dermatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
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22
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Targeting HER3 or MEK overcomes acquired Trastuzumab resistance in HER2-positive gastric cancer-derived xenograft. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:478. [PMID: 36463209 PMCID: PMC9719506 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-01259-z] [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: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 10/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/07/2022]
Abstract
Acquired Trastuzumab resistance is a complicated and disastrous event for HER2-positive gastric cancer (GC). In this study, we successfully established a GC PDX model with Trastuzumab sensitivity (176P) and induced a homologous model with acquired Trastuzumab resistance (176R), then comprehensively delineated the landscape of Trastuzumab resistance mechanisms using single-cell transcriptome sequencing, as well as protein profiling and genomic variation analysis. According to multi-omics study, different gene expression profiles, rather than genetic changes, contributed to acquired Trastuzumab resistance. The mechanisms underlying acquired Trastuzumab resistance present great complexity as multiple molecules and pathways were involved, including ERBB family, MAPK, PI3K/AKT, JAK/STAT, and cell cycle pathways. Through phenotypical and molecular validation, we found that Trastuzumab combined with HER3-targeted antibody or MEK inhibitor demonstrated excellent antitumor activity and good tolerance, which may serve as promising strategies for overcoming acquired Trastuzumab resistance.
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23
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Kwesi-Maliepaard EM, Malik M, van Welsem T, van Doorn R, Vermeer MH, Vlaming H, Jacobs H, van Leeuwen F. DOT1L inhibition does not modify the sensitivity of cutaneous T cell lymphoma to pan-HDAC inhibitors in vitro. Front Genet 2022; 13:1032958. [PMID: 36425063 PMCID: PMC9681147 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1032958] [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: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 08/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a subset of T-cell malignancies presenting in the skin. The treatment options for CTCL, in particular in advanced stages, are limited. One of the emerging therapies for CTCL is treatment with histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. We recently discovered an evolutionarily conserved crosstalk between HDAC1, one of the targets of HDAC inhibitors, and the histone methyltransferase DOT1L. HDAC1 negatively regulates DOT1L activity in yeast, mouse thymocytes, and mouse thymic lymphoma. Here we studied the functional relationship between HDAC inhibitors and DOT1L in two human CTCL cell lines, specifically addressing the question whether the crosstalk between DOT1L and HDAC1 observed in mouse T cells plays a role in the therapeutic effect of clinically relevant broad-acting HDAC inhibitors in the treatment of human CTCL. We confirmed that human CTCL cell lines were sensitive to treatment with pan-HDAC inhibitors. In contrast, the cell lines were not sensitive to DOT1L inhibitors. Combining both types of inhibitors did neither enhance nor suppress the inhibitory effect of HDAC inhibitors on CTCL cells. Thus our in vitro studies suggest that the effect of commonly used pan-HDAC inhibitors in CTCL cells relies on downstream effects other than DOT1L misregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Muddassir Malik
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Tibor van Welsem
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Remco van Doorn
- Department of Dermatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Maarten H. Vermeer
- Department of Dermatology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Hanneke Vlaming
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Heinz Jacobs
- Division of Tumor Biology and Immunology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Fred van Leeuwen
- Division of Gene Regulation, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Medical Biology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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24
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Molecular pathogenesis of Cutaneous T cell Lymphoma: Role of chemokines, cytokines, and dysregulated signaling pathways. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:382-399. [PMID: 34906723 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphoproliferative neoplasms that exhibit a wide spectrum of immune-phenotypical, clinical, and histopathological features. The biology of CTCL is complex and remains elusive. In recent years, the application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has evolved our understanding of the pathogenetic mechanisms, including genetic aberrations and epigenetic abnormalities that shape the mutational landscape of CTCL and represent one of the important pro-tumorigenic principles in CTCL initiation and progression. Still, identification of the major pathophysiological pathways including genetic and epigenetic components that mediate malignant clonal T cell expansion has not been achieved. This is of prime importance given the role of malignant T cell clones in fostering T helper 2 (Th2)-bias tumor microenvironment and fueling progressive immune dysregulation and tumor cell growth in CTCL patients, manifested by the secretion of Th2-associated cytokines and chemokines. Alterations in malignant cytokine and chemokine expression patterns orchestrate the inflammatory milieu and influence the migration dynamics of malignant clonal T cells. Here, we highlight recent insights about the molecular mechanisms of CTCL pathogenesis, emphasizing the role of cytokines, chemokines, and associated downstream signaling networks in driving immune defects, malignant transformation, and disease progression. In-depth characterization of the CTCL immunophenotype and tumoral microenvironment offers a facile opportunity to expand the therapeutic armamentarium of CTCL, an intractable malignant skin disease with poor prognosis and in dire need of curative treatment approaches.
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Concomitant Inhibition of FASN and SREBP Provides a Promising Therapy for CTCL. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14184491. [PMID: 36139650 PMCID: PMC9496997 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14184491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The biosynthesis of fatty acids catalysed by FASN plays an important oncogenic role in various malignancies but has not been reported in CTCL yet. Here, we show that FASN is highly expressed in both cell lines and primary cells from CTCL patients. The inhibition of FASN impairs cell viability, survival, and proliferation. FASN expression is partly controlled by SREBP, and dual inhibition of FASN and SREBP enhances the impairment of cell proliferation. Overall, our data suggest that the combination of FASN and SREBP inhibitors could be a promising novel strategy in CTCL therapy. Abstract Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a group of non-Hodgkin’s primary cutaneous T cell lymphomas, with Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary syndrome (SS) being the two most common subtypes. Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is a crucial enzyme that catalyses the biosynthesis of fatty acids, which has been reported to play an oncogenic role in various malignancies but not in CTCL so far. Herein, we show that FASN is highly expressed in CTCL cell lines and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from CTCL patients, while it is not in PBMCs from healthy individuals. The inhibition of FASN in CTCL cell lines impairs cell viability, survival, and proliferation, but, interestingly, it also increases FASN expression. However, inhibiting sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP), a transcription factor that promotes the expression of FASN, partially reversed the upregulation of FASN induced by FASN inhibitors. Thus, the combination of FASN and SREBP inhibitors enhanced the effects on both CTCL cell lines and PBMCs from SS patients, where a valid inhibition on cell proliferation could be verified. Importantly, compared to non-malignant cells, primary malignant cells are more sensitive to the inhibition of FASN and SREBP, making the combination of FASN and SREBP inhibitors a promising novel therapeutic strategy in CTCL.
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26
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Shameli A, Roshan TM. CD200 expression on Sezary cells: A valuable tool for flow cytometric assessment of peripheral blood T-cell neoplasms. CYTOMETRY. PART B, CLINICAL CYTOMETRY 2022; 102:303-311. [PMID: 35661398 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.b.22080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND CD200 (OX-2) is a valuable marker in the diagnosis of B-cell neoplasms and is commonly used in the screening panels for assessment of peripheral blood B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. However, there is limited understanding about CD200 expression in T-cell neoplasms. A previous study has shown that CD200 is expressed on the neoplastic cells of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) by immunohistochemistry, but no study has evaluated CD200 expression in T-cell neoplasms by flow cytometry. METHODS We assessed CD200 expression in peripheral blood T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders by retrospective analysis of our institutional flow cytometry screening database over a 6-year period. RESULTS In addition to AITL, we identified CD200 expression in a significant number of mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome cases (58%, 19 of 33 samples), while most other T-cell neoplasms were negative for CD200. These findings were confirmed by CD200 immunohistochemical staining of tissue specimens from our patient cohort. CONCLUSIONS CD200 is commonly expressed on circulating Sezary cells, a feature that can potentially improve the diagnostic value of flow cytometry for assessment of T-cell neoplasms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afshin Shameli
- Division of Hematopathology, Alberta Precision Laboratories, South Zone and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Tariq M Roshan
- Division of Hematopathology, Alberta Precision Laboratories, South Zone and Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
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27
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Gaydosik AM, Stonesifer CJ, Khaleel AE, Geskin LJ, Fuschiotti P. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Unveils the Clonal and Transcriptional Landscape of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas. Clin Cancer Res 2022; 28:2610-2622. [PMID: 35421230 PMCID: PMC9197926 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-4437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Clonal malignant T lymphocytes constitute only a fraction of T cells in mycosis fungoides skin tumors and in the leukemic blood of Sézary syndrome, the classic types of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. However, lack of markers specific for malignant lymphocytes prevents distinguishing them from benign T cells, thus delaying diagnosis and the development of targeted treatments. Here we applied single-cell methods to assess the transcriptional profiles of both malignant T-cell clones and reactive T lymphocytes directly in mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome patient samples. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Single-cell RNA sequencing was used to profile the T-cell immune repertoire simultaneously with gene expression in CD3+ lymphocytes from mycosis fungoides and healthy skin biopsies as well as from Sézary syndrome and control blood samples. Transcriptional data were validated in additional advanced-stage mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome skin and blood samples by immunofluorescence microscopy. RESULTS Several nonoverlapping clonotypes are expanded in the skin and blood of individual advanced-stage mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome patient samples, including a dominant malignant clone as well as additional minor malignant and reactive clones. While we detected upregulation of patient-specific as well as mycosis fungoides- and Sézary syndrome-specific oncogenic pathways within individual malignant clones, we also detected upregulation of several common pathways that included genes associated with cancer cell metabolism, cell-cycle regulation, de novo nucleotide biosynthesis, and invasion. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis unveils new insights into mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome pathogenesis by providing an unprecedented report of the transcriptional profile of malignant T-cell clones in the skin and blood of individual patients and offers novel prospective targets for personalized therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyxzandria M. Gaydosik
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15261, USA
| | | | | | | | - Patrizia Fuschiotti
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh PA 15261, USA,Correspondence to: Patrizia Fuschiotti, Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, S709 BST, 200 Lothrop Street, Pittsburgh PA 15261, USA. Tel.: +1-412-648-9385;
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Cristofoletti C, Bresin A, Fioretti M, Russo G, Narducci MG. Combined High-Throughput Approaches Reveal the Signals Driven by Skin and Blood Environments and Define the Tumor Heterogeneity in Sézary Syndrome. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14122847. [PMID: 35740513 PMCID: PMC9221051 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14122847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Sézary syndrome (SS) is a leukemic and incurable variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma characterized by the accumulation of neoplastic CD4+ lymphocytes in the blood, lymph nodes, and skin. With the exception of allogenic transplantation, no curative chance is available to treat SS, and it is a priority to find new therapies that target SS cells within all disease compartments. This review aims to summarize the more recent analyses conducted on skin- and blood-derived SS cells concurrently obtained from the same SS patients. The results highlighted that skin-SS cells were more active/proliferating with respect to matched blood SS cells that instead appeared quiescent. These data shed the light on the possibility to treat blood and skin SS cells with different compounds, respectively. Moreover, this review recaps the more recent findings on the heterogeneity of circulating SS cells that presented a series of novel markers that could improve diagnosis, prognosis and therapy of this lymphoma. Abstract Sézary syndrome (SS) is an aggressive variant of cutaneous t-cell lymphoma characterized by the accumulation of neoplastic CD4+ lymphocytes—the SS cells—mainly in blood, lymph nodes, and skin. The tumor spread pattern of SS makes this lymphoma a unique model of disease that allows a concurrent blood and skin sampling for analysis. This review summarizes the recent studies highlighting the transcriptional programs triggered by the crosstalk between SS cells and blood–skin microenvironments. Emerging data proved that skin-derived SS cells show consistently higher activation/proliferation rates, mainly driven by T-cell receptor signaling with respect to matched blood SS cells that instead appear quiescent. Biochemical analyses also demonstrated an hyperactivation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR, a targetable pathway by multiple inhibitors currently in clinical trials, in skin SS cells compared with a paired blood counterpart. These results indicated that active and quiescent SS cells coexist in this lymphoma, and that they could be respectively treated with different therapeutics. Finally, this review underlines the more recent discoveries into the heterogeneity of circulating SS cells, highlighting a series of novel markers that could improve the diagnosis and that represent novel therapeutic targets (GPR15, PTPN13, KLRB1, and ITGB1) as well as new genetic markers (PD-1 and CD39) able to stratify SS patients for disease aggressiveness.
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29
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Primary cutaneous lymphoma: the 2018 update of the WHO-EORTC classification. Presse Med 2022; 51:104126. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lpm.2022.104126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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30
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Roediger B, Schlapbach C. T cells in the skin: lymphoma and inflammatory skin disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2022; 149:1172-1184. [PMID: 35247433 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2022.02.015] [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: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
T cells are established contributors to the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) and psoriasis, yet whether they are the key drivers or simply unwitting participants remains incompletely understood. Conversely, malignant T cells are the undisputed culprits of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL), a group of diseases that share key clinical, histopathological and molecular features with inflammatory skin disease (ISD). Here, we compare the pathogenesis of ISD and CTCL and discuss the resulting insights. Recurrent, skin-limited disease implicates skin-resident T cells (TRM) in both ISD and CTCL. In CTCL, malignant T cells recruit benign T cells into inflammatory skin lesions, a disease-amplifying function also proposed for pathogenic T cells in ISD. Mechanistically, cytokines produced by malignant T cells in CTCL and by pathogenic T cells in ISD, respectively, are likely both necessary and sufficient to drive skin inflammation and pruritus, which in turn promotes skin barrier dysfunction and dysbiosis. Therapies for ISD target T cell effector functions but do not address the chronicity of disease while treatments for CTCL target malignant T cells but not primarily the symptoms of the disease. By integrating our understanding of ISD and CTCL, important insights into pathogenesis and therapy can be made which may improve the lives of sufferers of both disease groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Roediger
- Autoimmunity, Transplantation and Inflammation (ATI), Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Schlapbach
- Department of Dermatology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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31
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Licht P, Mailänder V. Transcriptional Heterogeneity and the Microbiome of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030328. [PMID: 35159138 PMCID: PMC8834405 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas (CTCL) presents with substantial clinical variability and transcriptional heterogeneity. In the recent years, several studies paved the way to elucidate aetiology and pathogenesis of CTCL using sequencing methods. Several T-cell subtypes were suggested as the source of disease thereby explaining clinical and transcriptional heterogeneity of CTCL entities. Several differentially expressed pathways could explain disease progression. However, exogenous triggers in the skin microenvironment also seem to affect CTCL status. Especially Staphylococcus aureus was shown to contribute to disease progression. Only little is known about the complex microbiome patterns involved in CTCL and how microbial shifts might impact this malignancy. Nevertheless, first hints indicate that the microbiome might at least in part explain transcriptional heterogeneity and that microbial approaches could serve in diagnosis and prognosis. Shaping the microbiome could be a treatment option to maintain stable disease. Here, we review current knowledge of transcriptional heterogeneity of and microbial influences on CTCL. We discuss potential benefits of microbial applications and microbial directed therapies to aid patients with CTCL burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philipp Licht
- Dermatology Clinic, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
| | - Volker Mailänder
- Dermatology Clinic, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstraße 1, 55131 Mainz, Germany;
- Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Ackermannweg 10, 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Correspondence:
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32
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Roelens M, de Masson A, Andrillon A, Ram-Wolff C, Biard L, Boisson M, Mourah S, Battistella M, Toubert A, Bagot M, Moins-Teisserenc H. Mogamulizumab induces long term immune restoration and reshapes tumor heterogeneity in Sézary syndrome. Br J Dermatol 2022; 186:1010-1025. [PMID: 35041763 DOI: 10.1111/bjd.21018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mogamulizumab, an anti-CCR4 monoclonal antibody, has been shown to increase progression-free survival in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. OBJECTIVES We hypothesized that besides the targeted depletion of Sézary cells (SCs), mogamulizumab may reshape the immune tumor microenvironment. METHODS Both malignant and benign compartments from 26 Sézary patients with B2 stage before mogamulizumab initiation were prospectively analyzed using KIR3DL2 and TCR-Vβ markers, serological markers and molecular assessments of clonality. RESULTS Prior to mogamulizumab, the benign subset of CD4+ T-cells displayed exhausted phenotypes, with an increased gradient in PD1/TIGIT/DNAM/CD27/CD28 and CD70 expression from age- matched controls to patient benign CD4+T cells and to SCs. All patients presented SCs with heterogeneous phenotypes and differential expression of individual markers were found within distinct malignant subsets. Early complete blood response was observed in 17/26 patients and was associated to a higher baseline CCR4 expression. A drastic decrease in benign T cells and activated Treg counts was observed during the first 4 weeks. Long-term follow-up revealed the emergence of an immune restoration involving CD8+, naive and stem-memory CD4+T cells, with almost complete disappearance of exhausted lymphocytes. Development of resistance/tumor escape to mogamulizumab was associated to the emergence of CCR4- SCs in blood and skin, displaying significant changes in their heterogeneity patterns, and not univocally explained by mutations within CCR4 coding regions. CONCLUSIONS Mogamulizumab is likely contributing to the restoration of an efficient immunity and reshapes not only the malignant lymphocyte subset but also the benign subset. These results have potential implications for optimal therapeutic sequences and/or combinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Roelens
- INSERM UMR 1160, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Adèle de Masson
- Université de Paris, Paris, France.,INSERM UMR 976, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Dermatology Department, Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Anais Andrillon
- Université de Paris, Paris, France.,INSERM, UMR 1153, Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | | | - Lucie Biard
- Université de Paris, Paris, France.,INSERM, UMR 1153, Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France.,Department of Biostatistics and Medical Information, Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Marie Boisson
- Tumor Genomics and Pharmacology Department, Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Samia Mourah
- Université de Paris, Paris, France.,INSERM UMR 976, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Tumor Genomics and Pharmacology Department, Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Maxime Battistella
- Université de Paris, Paris, France.,INSERM UMR 976, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Pathology Department, Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Antoine Toubert
- INSERM UMR 1160, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Immunology Laboratory, Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Martine Bagot
- Université de Paris, Paris, France.,INSERM UMR 976, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Dermatology Department, Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Helene Moins-Teisserenc
- INSERM UMR 1160, Institut de Recherche Saint-Louis, Paris, France.,Université de Paris, Paris, France.,Hematology Laboratory, Hôpital Saint-Louis, AP-HP, Paris, France
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33
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Challenging Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma: What Animal Models Tell us So Far. J Invest Dermatol 2022; 142:1533-1540. [PMID: 35000751 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2021.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas are characterized by heterogeneity of clinical variants, further complicated by genomic and microenvironmental variables. Furthermore, in vitro experiments are hampered by the low culture efficiency of these malignant cells. Animal models are essential for understanding the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying malignancy and for discovering new anticancer treatments. They are divided into two main categories: those in which tumors arise in the host owing to genetic modifications and those that use tumor cell transplantation. In this review, we summarize the attempts to decipher the complexity of the pathogenesis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma by exploiting genetically modified and xenograft models.
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34
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Xu B, Liu F, Gao Y, Sun J, Li Y, Lin Y, Liu X, Wen Y, Yi S, Dang J, Tu P, Wang Y. High Expression of IKZF2 in Malignant T Cells Promotes Disease Progression in Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma. Acta Derm Venereol 2021; 101:adv00613. [PMID: 34853863 PMCID: PMC9472098 DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v101.570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T cell lymphoma is a generally indolent disease derived from skin-homing mature T cells. However, in advanced stages, cutaneous T cell lymphoma may manifest aggressive clinical behaviour and lead to a poor prognosis. The mechanism of disease progression in cutaneous T cell lymphoma remains unknown. This study, based on a large clinical cohort, found that IKZF2, an essential transcription factor during T cell development and differentiation, showed stage-dependent overexpression in the malignant T cells in mycosis fungoides lesions. IKZF2 is specifically over-expressed in advanced-stage mycosis fungoides lesions, and correlates with poor prognosis. Mechanistically, overexpression of IKZF2 promotes cutaneous T cell lymphoma progression via inhibiting malignant cell apoptosis and may contribute to tumour immune escape by downregulating major histocompatibility complex II molecules and up-regulating the production of anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 by malignant T cells. These results demonstrate the important role of IKZF2 in high-risk cutaneous T cell lymphoma and pave the way for future targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Yang Wang
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Peking University First Hospital, No.8 Xishiku Street, Xi Cheng District, Beijing 100034, China.
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35
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Malignant and Benign T Cells Constituting Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312933. [PMID: 34884736 PMCID: PMC8657644 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a heterogeneous group of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, including various clinical manifestations, such as mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS). CTCL mostly develops from CD4 T cells with the skin-tropic memory phenotype. Malignant T cells in MF lesions show the phenotype of skin resident memory T cells (TRM), which reside in the peripheral tissues for long periods and do not recirculate. On the other hand, malignant T cells in SS represent the phenotype of central memory T cells (TCM), which are characterized by recirculation to and from the blood and lymphoid tissues. The kinetics and the functional characteristics of malignant cells in CTCL are still unclear due, in part, to the fact that both the malignant cells and the T cells exerting anti-tumor activity possess the same characteristics as T cells. Capturing the features of both the malignant and the benign T cells is necessary for understanding the pathogenesis of CTCL and would lead to new therapeutic strategies specifically targeting the skin malignant T cells or benign T cells.
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36
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Immune cell topography predicts response to PD-1 blockade in cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6726. [PMID: 34795254 PMCID: PMC8602403 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26974-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCL) are rare but aggressive cancers without effective treatments. While a subset of patients derive benefit from PD-1 blockade, there is a critically unmet need for predictive biomarkers of response. Herein, we perform CODEX multiplexed tissue imaging and RNA sequencing on 70 tumor regions from 14 advanced CTCL patients enrolled in a pembrolizumab clinical trial (NCT02243579). We find no differences in the frequencies of immune or tumor cells between responders and non-responders. Instead, we identify topographical differences between effector PD-1+ CD4+ T cells, tumor cells, and immunosuppressive Tregs, from which we derive a spatial biomarker, termed the SpatialScore, that correlates strongly with pembrolizumab response in CTCL. The SpatialScore coincides with differences in the functional immune state of the tumor microenvironment, T cell function, and tumor cell-specific chemokine recruitment and is validated using a simplified, clinically accessible tissue imaging platform. Collectively, these results provide a paradigm for investigating the spatial balance of effector and suppressive T cell activity and broadly leveraging this biomarker approach to inform the clinical use of immunotherapies.
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37
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Alpár D, Egyed B, Bödör C, Kovács GT. Single-Cell Sequencing: Biological Insight and Potential Clinical Implications in Pediatric Leukemia. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:5658. [PMID: 34830811 PMCID: PMC8616124 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13225658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Single-cell sequencing (SCS) provides high-resolution insight into the genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic landscape of oncohematological malignancies including pediatric leukemia, the most common type of childhood cancer. Besides broadening our biological understanding of cellular heterogeneity, sub-clonal architecture, and regulatory network of tumor cell populations, SCS can offer clinically relevant, detailed characterization of distinct compartments affected by leukemia and identify therapeutically exploitable vulnerabilities. In this review, we provide an overview of SCS studies focused on the high-resolution genomic and transcriptomic scrutiny of pediatric leukemia. Our aim is to investigate and summarize how different layers of single-cell omics approaches can expectedly support clinical decision making in the future. Although the clinical management of pediatric leukemia underwent a spectacular improvement during the past decades, resistant disease is a major cause of therapy failure. Currently, only a small proportion of childhood leukemia patients benefit from genomics-driven therapy, as 15-20% of them meet the indication criteria of on-label targeted agents, and their overall response rate falls in a relatively wide range (40-85%). The in-depth scrutiny of various cell populations influencing the development, progression, and treatment resistance of different disease subtypes can potentially uncover a wider range of driver mechanisms for innovative therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donát Alpár
- HCEMM-SE Molecular Oncohematology Research Group, 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, H-1085 Budapest, Hungary; (D.A.); (B.E.); (C.B.)
| | - Bálint Egyed
- HCEMM-SE Molecular Oncohematology Research Group, 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, H-1085 Budapest, Hungary; (D.A.); (B.E.); (C.B.)
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Csaba Bödör
- HCEMM-SE Molecular Oncohematology Research Group, 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University, H-1085 Budapest, Hungary; (D.A.); (B.E.); (C.B.)
| | - Gábor T. Kovács
- 2nd Department of Pediatrics, Semmelweis University, H-1094 Budapest, Hungary
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38
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Herrera A, Cheng A, Mimitou EP, Seffens A, George D, Bar-Natan M, Heguy A, Ruggles KV, Scher JU, Hymes K, Latkowski JA, Ødum N, Kadin ME, Ouyang Z, Geskin LJ, Smibert P, Buus TB, Koralov SB. Multimodal single-cell analysis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma reveals distinct subclonal tissue-dependent signatures. Blood 2021; 138:1456-1464. [PMID: 34232982 PMCID: PMC8532199 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2020009346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a heterogeneous group of mature T-cell neoplasms characterized by the accumulation of clonal malignant CD4+ T cells in the skin. The most common variant of CTCL, mycosis fungoides (MF ), is confined to the skin in early stages but can be accompanied by extracutaneous dissemination of malignant T cells to the blood and lymph nodes in advanced stages of disease. Sézary syndrome (SS), a leukemic form of disease, is characterized by significant blood involvement. Little is known about the transcriptional and genomic relationship between skin- and blood-residing malignant T cells in CTCL. To identify and interrogate malignant clones in matched skin and blood from patients with leukemic MF and SS, we combine T-cell receptor clonotyping with quantification of gene expression and cell surface markers at the single cell level. Our data reveal clonal evolution at a transcriptional and genetic level within the malignant populations of individual patients. We highlight highly consistent transcriptional signatures delineating skin- and blood-derived malignant T cells. Analysis of these 2 populations suggests that environmental cues, along with genetic aberrations, contribute to transcriptional profiles of malignant T cells. Our findings indicate that the skin microenvironment in CTCL promotes a transcriptional response supporting rapid malignant expansion, as opposed to the quiescent state observed in the blood, potentially influencing efficacy of therapies. These results provide insight into tissue-specific characteristics of cancerous cells and underscore the need to address the patients' individual malignant profiles at the time of therapy to eliminate all subclones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto Herrera
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Anthony Cheng
- Department of Genetic and Genome Sciences, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
| | - Eleni P Mimitou
- Technology Innovation Laboratory, New York Genome Center, New York, NY
| | - Angelina Seffens
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY
| | - Dean George
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University and Roger Williams Medical Center, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Michal Bar-Natan
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY
| | - Adriana Heguy
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
- Genome Technology Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | | | - Jose U Scher
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine
| | | | - Jo-Ann Latkowski
- Department of Dermatology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
| | - Niels Ødum
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Marshall E Kadin
- Department of Dermatology, Boston University and Roger Williams Medical Center, Brown University, Providence, RI
| | - Zhengqing Ouyang
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
| | - Larisa J Geskin
- Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Peter Smibert
- Technology Innovation Laboratory, New York Genome Center, New York, NY
| | - Terkild B Buus
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
- LEO Foundation Skin Immunology Research Center, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sergei B Koralov
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY
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39
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Sugaya M. Clinical Guidelines and New Molecular Targets for Cutaneous Lymphomas. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222011079. [PMID: 34681738 PMCID: PMC8537763 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222011079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary cutaneous lymphomas are heterogenous lymphoproliferative disorders. Some patients show rapid progression and the need for treatment of advanced disease is still unmet. The frequency of each subtype of cutaneous lymphoma varies among different ethnic groups, as do the medical systems found in different countries. It is important to know the differences in clinical guidelines in different areas of the world. Although current monochemotherapy with gemcitabine or pegylated liposomal doxorubicin is temporarily effective for mycosis funogides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS)-representative types of cutaneous lymphomas-the duration of response is usually limited. Therefore, treatment strategies targeting tumor-specific molecules have been developed. Molecular targets for MS/SS are currently CD30, CCR4, CD25, CD52, and histone deacetylases, most of which are surface molecules specifically expressed on tumor cells. As a result of advances in research techniques, different kinds of genomic alterations in MF/SS have been revealed. Molecular targets for MS/SS in the near future would be CD158k, JAK, PIK3, the mammalian target of rapamycin, and microRNAs, most of which mediate intracellular signaling pathways. Personalized therapy based on the detection of the genetic signatures of tumors and inhibition of the most suitable target molecules constitutes a future treatment strategy for MF/SS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Sugaya
- Department of Dermatology, International University of Health and Welfare, Chiba 286-8520, Japan
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40
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Genetic and epigenetic insights into cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Blood 2021; 139:15-33. [PMID: 34570882 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2019004256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) constitute a heterogeneous group of non-Hodgkin T-cell lymphomas that present in the skin. In recent years significant progress has been made in the understanding of the pathogenesis of CTCL. Progress in CTCL classifications combined with technical advances, in particular next generation sequencing (NGS), enabled a more detailed analysis of the genetic and epigenetic landscape and transcriptional changes in clearly defined diagnostic entities. These studies not only demonstrated extensive heterogeneity between different CTCL subtypes but also identified recurrent alterations that are highly characteristic for diagnostic subgroups of CTCL. The identified alterations in particular involve epigenetic remodelling, cell cycle regulation, and the constitutive activation of targetable, oncogenic pathways. In this respect, aberrant JAK-STAT signaling is a recurrent theme, however not universal for all CTCL and with seemingly different underlaying causes in different entities. A number of the mutated genes identified are potentially actionable targets for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Moreover, these studies have produced an enormous amount of information that will be critically important for the further development of improved diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers that can assist in the clinical management of CTCL patients. In the present review the main findings of these studies in relation to their functional impact on the malignant transformation process are discussed for different subtypes of CTCL.
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41
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CD158k and PD-1 expressions define heterogeneous subtypes of Sezary syndrome. Blood Adv 2021; 6:1813-1825. [PMID: 34570200 PMCID: PMC8941477 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2021005147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
SS can be divided into 3 subtypes, each with a different immune environment and response to treatment.
Sezary syndrome (SS) is a rare leukemic form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Diagnosis mainly depends on flow cytometry, but results are not specific enough to be unequivocal. The difficulty in defining a single marker that could characterize Sezary cells may be the consequence of different pathological subtypes. In this study, we used multivariate flow cytometry analyses. We chose to investigate the expression of classical CD3, CD4, CD7, and CD26 and the new association of 2 markers CD158k and PD-1. We performed lymphocyte computational phenotypic analyses during diagnosis and follow-up of patients with SS to define new SS classes and improve the sensitivity of the diagnosis and the follow-up flow cytometry method. Three classes of SS, defined by different immunophenotypic profiles, CD158k+ SS, CD158k−PD-1+ SS, CD158k and PD-1 double-negative SS, showed different CD8+ and B-cell environments. Such a study could help to diagnose and define biological markers of susceptibility/resistance to treatment, including immunotherapy.
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42
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Zhang J, Ma S, Yu J, Zheng S, Miao Y, Wang P, Yan X. Reactive Langerhans Cell Proliferation Mimicking Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis in Association with Sézary Syndrome: A Case Report and Literature Review. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol 2021; 14:1023-1028. [PMID: 34466010 PMCID: PMC8402951 DOI: 10.2147/ccid.s323865] [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: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Sézary syndrome (SS) is a rare type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) that is characterized by erythroderma, lymphadenopathy and circulating clonal T-cells (Sézary cells). However, to our knowledge, reactive Langerhans cell (LC) proliferation mimicking Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) associated with SS has not been reported. In this report, we describe an unusual case of reactive LC proliferation mimicking LCH associated with SS in a 57-year-old female patient. With complaints of recurrent skin symptoms and enlarged lymph nodes (LNs), she was admitted to our center with a presumptive diagnosis of LCH as demonstrated by LN biopsy pathology. However, other than adenopathy, no lesions were noted in any organ system commonly involved in LCH. Typical Sézary cells were identified through morphology and further confirmed by flow cytometric immunophenotyping in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM). In addition, T-cell receptor gene rearrangement was positive, whereas the BRAF V600E gene mutation was negative in skin, LN, PB and BM. The patient was ultimately diagnosed with SS with reactive LC proliferation. This case should remind clinicians to be wary of diagnosing LCH if LCH-like pathology occurs exclusively in LNs. Moreover, morphologic, immunologic, cytogenetic and molecular biologic studies should be performed to avoid misdiagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinjing Zhang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiyu Ma
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Jinxiang Yu
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Song Zheng
- Department of Dermatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Miao
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Pingping Wang
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaojing Yan
- Department of Hematology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110001, People's Republic of China
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43
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Abstract
Primary cutaneous T cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a heterogeneous group of lymphomas that present in the skin with no evidence of extracutaneous disease at the time of diagnosis. CTCL subtypes demonstrate a variety of clinical, histological, and molecular features, and can follow an indolent or a very aggressive course. The underlying pathogenetic mechanisms are not yet entirely understood. The pathophysiology of CTCL is complex and a single initiating factor has not yet been identified. Diagnosis is based on clinicopathological correlation and requires an interdisciplinary team. Treatment decision is made based on short-term and long-term goals. Therapy options comprise skin-directed therapies, such as topical steroids or phototherapy, and systemic therapies, such as monoclonal antibodies or chemotherapy. So far, the only curative treatment approach is allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Novel therapies, such as chimeric antigen receptor T cells, monoclonal antibodies or small molecules, are being investigated in clinical trials. Patients with CTCL have reduced quality of life and a lack of effective treatment options. Further research is needed to better identify the underlying mechanisms of CTCL development and course as well as to better tailor treatment strategies to individual patients.
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44
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Improved Sézary cell detection and novel insights into immunophenotypic and molecular heterogeneity in Sézary syndrome. Blood 2021; 138:2539-2554. [PMID: 34314480 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2021012286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sézary syndrome (SS) is an aggressive leukemic form of Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma with neoplastic CD4+ T cells present in skin, lymph nodes, and blood. Despite advances in therapy, prognosis remains poor with a 5-year overall survival of 30%. The immunophenotype of Sézary cells is diverse, which hampers efficient diagnosis, sensitive disease monitoring, and accurate assessment of treatment response. Comprehensive immunophenotypic profiling of Sézary cells with an in-depth analysis of maturation and functional subsets has not been performed thus far. We immunophenotypically profiled 24 SS patients employing standardized and sensitive EuroFlow-based multiparameter flow cytometry (MFC). We accurately identified and quantified Sézary cells in blood and performed an in-depth assessment of their phenotypic characteristics in comparison with their normal counterparts in the blood CD4+ T-cell compartment. We observed inter-and intra-patient heterogeneity and phenotypic changes over time. Sézary cells exhibited phenotypes corresponding with classical and non-classical T helper subsets with different maturation phenotypes. We combined MFC analyses with FACS cell sorting and performed RNA-sequencing studies on purified subsets of malignant Sézary cells and normal CD4+ T cells of the same patients. We confirmed pure mono-clonality in Sézary subsets, we compared transcriptomes of phenotypically distinct Sézary subsets and identified novel down-regulated genes, most remarkable THEMIS and LAIR1 which discriminate Sézary cells from normal residual CD4+ T cells. Together, these findings further unravel the heterogeneity of Sézary cell subpopulations within and between patients. These new data will support improved blood staging and more accurate disease monitoring.
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45
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Zhang P, Zhang M. Epigenetics in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma. Front Oncol 2021; 11:663961. [PMID: 34249700 PMCID: PMC8263908 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.663961] [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: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) comprise a group of heterogeneous diseases involving malignant T cells. The pathogenesis and etiology of CTCL are still unclear, although a large number of genetic and epidemiological studies on CTCL have been conducted. Most CTCLs have an indolent course, making early diagnosis difficult. Once large-cell transformation occurs, CTCL progresses to more aggressive types, resulting in an overall survival of less than five years. Epigenetic drugs, which have shown certain curative effects, have been selected as third-line drugs in patients with relapsing and refractory CTCL. Many studies have also identified epigenetic biomarkers from tissues and peripheral blood of patients with CTCL and suggested that epigenetic changes play a role in malignant transformation and histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) resistance in CTCL. Single-cell sequencing has been applied in CTCL studies, revealing heterogeneity in CTCL malignant T cells. The mechanisms of HDACi resistance have also been described, further facilitating the discovery of novel HDACi targets. Despite the heterogeneity of CTCL disease and its obscure pathogenesis, more epigenetic abnormalities have been gradually discovered recently, which not only enables us to understand CTCL disease further but also improves our understanding of the specific role of epigenetics in the pathogenesis and treatment. In this review, we discuss the recent discoveries concerning the pathological roles of epigenetics and epigenetic therapy in CTCL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City, China.,Department of Oncology, Academy of Medical Sciences of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City, China
| | - Mingzhi Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou City, China
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46
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Branched evolution and genomic intratumor heterogeneity in the pathogenesis of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Blood Adv 2021; 4:2489-2500. [PMID: 32502269 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2020001441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a slowly progressive cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) for which there is no cure. In the early plaque stage, the disease is indolent, but development of tumors heralds an increased risk of metastasis and death. Previous research into the genomic landscape of CTCL revealed a complex pattern of >50 driver mutations implicated in more than a dozen signaling pathways. However, the genomic mechanisms governing disease progression and treatment resistance remain unknown. Building on our previous discovery of the clonotypic heterogeneity of MF, we hypothesized that this lymphoma does not progress in a linear fashion as currently thought but comprises heterogeneous mutational subclones. We sequenced exomes of 49 cases of MF and identified 28 previously unreported putative driver genes. MF exhibited extensive intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH) of a median of 6 subclones showing a branched phylogenetic relationship pattern. Stage progression was correlated with an increase in ITH and redistribution of mutations from stem to clades. The pattern of clonal driver mutations was highly variable, with no consistent mutations among patients. Similar intratumoral heterogeneity was detected in leukemic CTCL (Sézary syndrome). Based on these findings, we propose a model of MF pathogenesis comprising divergent evolution of cancer subclones and discuss how ITH affects the efficacy of targeted drug therapies and immunotherapies for CTCL.
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47
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Rindler K, Bauer WM, Jonak C, Wielscher M, Shaw LE, Rojahn TB, Thaler FM, Porkert S, Simonitsch-Klupp I, Weninger W, Mayerhoefer ME, Farlik M, Brunner PM. Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Reveals Tissue Compartment-Specific Plasticity of Mycosis Fungoides Tumor Cells. Front Immunol 2021; 12:666935. [PMID: 33968070 PMCID: PMC8097053 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.666935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. While initially restricted to the skin, malignant cells can appear in blood, bone marrow and secondary lymphoid organs in later disease stages. However, only little is known about phenotypic and functional properties of malignant T cells in relationship to tissue environments over the course of disease progression. We thus profiled the tumor micromilieu in skin, blood and lymph node in a patient with advanced MF using single-cell RNA sequencing combined with V-D-J T-cell receptor sequencing. In skin, we identified clonally expanded T-cells with characteristic features of tissue-resident memory T-cells (TRM, CD69+CD27-NR4A1+RGS1+AHR+). In blood and lymph node, the malignant clones displayed a transcriptional program reminiscent of a more central memory-like phenotype (KLF2+TCF7+S1PR1+SELL+CCR7+), while retaining tissue-homing receptors (CLA, CCR10). The skin tumor microenvironment contained potentially tumor-permissive myeloid cells producing regulatory (IDO1) and Th2-associated mediators (CCL13, CCL17, CCL22). Given their expression of PVR, TNFRSF14 and CD80/CD86, they might be under direct control by TIGIT+CTLA4+CSF2+TNFSF14+ tumor cells. In sum, this study highlights the adaptive phenotypic and functional plasticity of MF tumor cell clones. Thus, the TRM-like phenotype enables long-term skin residence of MF cells. Their switch to a TCM-like phenotype with persistent skin homing molecule expression in the circulation might explain the multi-focal nature of MF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Rindler
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Wolfgang M Bauer
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Constanze Jonak
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Wielscher
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lisa E Shaw
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas B Rojahn
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Felix M Thaler
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefanie Porkert
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Wolfgang Weninger
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marius E Mayerhoefer
- Division of General and Pediatric Radiology, Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.,Department of Radiology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Matthias Farlik
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Patrick M Brunner
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome: An Integrative Review of the Pathophysiology, Molecular Drivers, and Targeted Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13081931. [PMID: 33923722 PMCID: PMC8074086 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13081931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/09/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In the last few years, the field of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas has experienced major advances. In the context of an active translational and clinical research field, next-generation sequencing data have boosted our understanding of the main molecular mechanisms that govern the biology of these entities, thus enabling the development of novel tools for diagnosis and specific therapy. Here, we focus on mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome; we review essential aspects of their pathophysiology, provide a rational mechanistic interpretation of the genomic data, and discuss the current and upcoming therapies, including the potential crosstalk between genomic alterations and the microenvironment, offering opportunities for targeted therapies. Abstract Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) constitute a heterogeneous group of diseases that affect the skin. Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) account for the majority of these lesions and have recently been the focus of extensive translational research. This review describes and discusses the main pathobiological manifestations of MF/SS, the molecular and clinical features currently used for diagnosis and staging, and the different therapies already approved or under development. Furthermore, we highlight and discuss the main findings illuminating key molecular mechanisms that can act as drivers for the development and progression of MF/SS. These seem to make up an orchestrated constellation of genomic and environmental alterations generated around deregulated T-cell receptor (TCR)/phospholipase C, gamma 1, (PLCG1) and Janus kinase/ signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) activities that do indeed provide us with novel opportunities for diagnosis and therapy.
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Castellanos-Rueda R, Di Roberto RB, Schlatter FS, Reddy ST. Leveraging Single-Cell Sequencing for Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cell Therapies. Trends Biotechnol 2021; 39:1308-1320. [PMID: 33832782 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2021.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies against cancer continue to make inroads in the clinic. However, progress is still hindered by subpar efficacy against many tumors. Gaining a better understanding of CAR-induced T cell activation would help identify and remediate the causes of treatment failure. Increasingly, technologies to analyze the transcriptome are used to molecularly profile the behavior of CAR-T cells, both before and after treatment. Here, we describe recent work on how gene expression signatures, especially those obtained from single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), can be used to characterize CAR design, production conditions, therapy combinations, and finally disease outcome. In the future, scRNA-seq could become a standard tool for the development and clinical monitoring of CAR-T cell therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raphaël B Di Roberto
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Fabrice S Schlatter
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sai T Reddy
- ETH Zurich, Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, Basel, Switzerland.
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Reneau JC, Wilcox RA. Novel therapies targeting cutaneous T cell lymphomas and their microenvironment. Semin Hematol 2021; 58:103-113. [PMID: 33906720 DOI: 10.1053/j.seminhematol.2021.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) are rare non-Hodgkin lymphomas with a generally indolent course managed with topical, skin-directed therapies. A small subset, however, will progress to advanced stage disease necessitating systemic therapy for disease control. Currently approved therapies have low response rates and generally short durations of response. Novel therapies, therefore, are urgently needed to address this unmet need. In this review, the mechanisms of CTCL pathogenesis and progression, including the role of the tumor microenvironment and molecular alterations, are summarized. Based on these biologic insights, novel therapies currently under investigation and those with a strong preclinical biologic rationale including T cell and macrophage checkpoint inhibitors, epigenetic regulators, targeted antibodies, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and apoptosis modulating therapies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- John C Reneau
- The Ohio State University, Division of Hematology, Columbus, OH.
| | - Ryan A Wilcox
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Michigan Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI
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