V-Domain Ig Suppressor of T Cell Activation (VISTA) Expression Is an Independent Prognostic Factor in Multiple Myeloma

Immune checkpoint expression patterns on T cell subsets in light-chain amyloidosis: VISTA, PD-1, and TIGIT as potential therapeutic targets

Amyloid light chain (AL) amyloidosis is a rare plasma cell dyscrasia with dismal prognosis. This study aims to investigate the T-cell immune checkpoint expression patterns in systemic AL amyloidosis and its relationship with clinicobiological traits. We examined the frequencies of V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation+ (VISTA+), programmed cell death 1+ (PD-1+), T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain-containing-3+ (Tim-3+), T cell immunoreceptor with Ig and ITIM domains+ (TIGIT+) T cells in peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) from 19 patients with newly diagnosed AL amyloidosis. Patients with AL amyloidosis had significantly higher percentages of VISTA+ and PD-1+ T cells in PB than healthy individuals (HIs), with no statistical differences in BM. The percentages of some double-positive T cells in PB were also considerably higher in AL amyloidosis than those in HIs. Additionally, the patients with renal involvement had more PD-1+ and TIGIT+ T cells than the patients without, and PD-1+CD3+%, PD-1+CD4+%, PD-1+Treg% were positively correlated with 24-hour proteinuria levels. Furthermore, the AL amyloidosis patients had higher counts of PD-1+ Treg in PB than multiple myeloma (MM) patients, while the MM patients had higher counts of TIGIT+ T cells than AL amyloidosis patients. Collectively, this is the first report of elevated proportions of VISTA+ and PD-1+ T cells in PB of AL amyloidosis patients, indicating an immunosuppressive milieu, and the increased PD-1+ and TIGIT+ T cells were associated with renal damage. VISTA, PD-1, and TIGIT may be potential targets for reversing T-cell exhaustion in AL amyloidosis.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors for multiple myeloma immunotherapy

Multiple myeloma (MM) is related to immune disorders, recent studys have revealed that immunotherapy can greatly benefit MM patients. Immune checkpoints can negatively modulate the immune system and are closely associated with immune escape. Immune checkpoint-related therapy has attracted much attention and research in MM. However, the efficacy of those therapies need further improvements. There need more thoughts about the immune checkpoint to translate their use in clinical work. In our review, we aggregated the currently known immune checkpoints and their corresponding ligands, further more we propose various ways of potential translation applying treatment based on immune checkpoints for MM patients.

Immune checkpoint gene VSIR predicts patient prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes

BACKGROUND

Immune checkpoint proteins play critical functions during the immune response to cancer and have been targeted by immune checkpoint blockade therapy. V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VSIR) is one of these immune checkpoint genes and has been investigated extensively in recent years due to its conflicting roles in cancer immunity. Specifically, in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the prognostic value of VSIR is debated.

RESULTS

In both patient tumor samples and cancer cell lines we find that VSIR has the highest expression in AML out of all cancer types and, in AML, has the highest expression out of all other immune checkpoint genes. Survival analysis indicated that AML patients with higher VSIR expression have significantly shorter survival than those patients with lower expression, even within established AML subgroups (e.g., FAB subtypes). Importantly, VSIR expression is predictive of progression from myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) patients into AML, suggesting its potential role during the very early stage of AML development and progression. In addition to AML, VSIR also demonstrates prognostic values in other cancer types, including multiple myeloma and mesothelioma.

CONCLUSION

In summary, our analyses revealed the prognostic value of VSIR and its potential as a target for immunotherapy, especially in AML.

Different expression patterns of VISTA concurrent with PD-1, Tim-3, and TIGIT on T cell subsets in peripheral blood and bone marrow from patients with multiple myeloma

V-type immunoglobulin domain-containing suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA) is considered as an immunosuppressive factor and potential therapeutic target for anticancer therapy. However, little is known about VISTA expression and its role in immunosuppression in multiple myeloma (MM). In this study, VISTA expression and co-expression with programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1), T cell immunoglobulin mucin-domain-containing-3 (Tim-3), and T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT) in CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and regulatory T (Treg) cells were analyzed in patients with MM by multi-color fluorescent flow cytometry of peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) samples from 36 patients with MM and compared to 36 PB samples and 10 BM samples from healthy individuals (HIs), which served as controls. The results demonstrated a significant increased percentage of VISTA co-expression with PD-1, Tim-3, and TIGIT in CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, and Treg cells in PB from MM patients compared with HIs. A similar trend for VISTA+CD8+ T cells was found in BM. Moreover, a trend of a high percentage on VISTA expression and co-expression in PB rather than BM was found. Furthermore, significant positive correlations existed for VISTA expression concurrent with PD-1, Tim-3, and TIGIT in T cell subsets and clinical indicators, including Revised International Staging System (R-ISS) staging of multiple myeloma, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) score, and beta-2-microglobulin (β2-MG). In conclusion, higher VISTA expression concurrent with PD-1, Tim-3, and TIGIT on T cells, particularly in the PB of patients with MM, may result in T cell exhaustion and dysfunction and be closely associated with disease progression and clinical indicators. Thus, VISTA may be considered a potential target for reversing T cell exhaustion and improving T cell function in MM.

Computational recognition of LncRNA signatures in tumor-associated neutrophils could have implications for immunotherapy and prognostic outcome of non-small cell lung cancer

Cancer immune function and tumor microenvironment are governed by long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Nevertheless, it has yet to be established whether lncRNAs play a role in tumor-associated neutrophils (TANs). Here, a computing framework based on machine learning was used to identify neutrophil-specific lncRNA with prognostic significance in squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma using univariate Cox regression to comprehensively analyze immune, lncRNA, and clinical characteristics. The risk score was determined using LASSO Cox regression analysis. Meanwhile, we named this risk score as “TANlncSig.” TANlncSig was able to distinguish between better and worse survival outcomes in various patient datasets independently of other clinical variables. Functional assessment of TANlncSig showed it is a marker of myeloid cell infiltration into tumor infiltration and myeloid cells directly or indirectly inhibit the anti-tumor immune response by secreting cytokines, expressing immunosuppressive receptors, and altering metabolic processes. Our findings highlighted the value of TANlncSig in TME as a marker of immune cell infiltration and showed the values of lncRNAs as indicators of immunotherapy.

PD-1H Expression Associated With CD68 Macrophage Marker Confers an Immune-Activated Microenvironment and Favorable Overall Survival in Human Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most common type of esophageal carcinoma (EC) in China. Although the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab has been approved to treat patients with EC, its therapeutic efficacy is limited. Thus, additional immunotherapeutic targets for EC treatment are needed. Programmed Death-1 Homolog (PD-1H) is a negative checkpoint regulator that inhibits antitumor immune responses. Here, PD-1H expression in 114 patients with ESCC was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Next, 12 randomly selected tumor tissue sections were used to assess the colocalization of PD-1H protein and multiple immune markers by multiplex immunohistochemistry. Our results demonstrated that PD-1H was expressed at high frequency in ESCC tumor tissues (85.1%). PD-1H protein was predominantly expressed in CD68⁺ tumor-associated macrophages and expressed at low levels in CD4⁺ T cells and CD8⁺ T cells in ESCC tumor tissues. Furthermore, based on ESCC data in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the gene expression levels of PD-1H were positively associated with the infiltration levels of immune-activated cells especially CD8⁺ cytotoxic T cells. In contrast, the gene expression levels of PD-1H were negatively correlated with myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). Importantly, PD-1H expression in tumor sites was significantly correlated with favorable overall survival in patients with ESCC. Collectively, our findings first provided direct information on the PD-1H expression pattern and distribution in ESCC, and positive correlation of PD-1H expression with overall survival suggested PD-1H expression levels could be a significant prognostic indicator for patients with ESCC. Future studies need to explore the immunoregulatory of PD-1H in the tumor microenvironment of ESCC.