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Liao L, Tsai C, Li P, Lee C, Lin S, Lai W, Chen I, Chang C, Lee J, Chiu Y. Characterization of unique pattern of immune cell profile in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma through flow cytometry and machine learning. J Cell Mol Med 2024; 28:e18404. [PMID: 38888489 PMCID: PMC11184936 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.18404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
In patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), the alteration of immune responses in peripheral blood remains unclear. In this study, we established an immune cell profile for patients with NPC and used flow cytometry and machine learning (ML) to identify the characteristics of this profile. After isolation of circulating leukocytes, the proportions of 104 immune cell subsets were compared between NPC group and the healthy control group (HC). Data obtained from the immune cell profile were subjected to ML training to differentiate between the immune cell profiles of the NPC and HC groups. We observed that subjects in the NPC group presented higher proportions of T cells, memory B cells, short-lived plasma cells, IgG-positive B cells, regulatory T cells, MHC II+ T cells, CTLA4+ T cells and PD-1+ T cells than subjects in the HC group, indicating weaker and compromised cellular and humoral immune responses. ML revealed that monocytes, PD-1+ CD4 T cells, memory B cells, CTLA4+ CD4 Treg cells and PD-1+ CD8 T cells were strongly contributed to the difference in immune cell profiles between the NPC and HC groups. This alteration can be fundamental in developing novel immunotherapies for NPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li‐Jen Liao
- Department of OtolaryngologyFar Eastern Memorial HospitalNew Taipei CityTaiwan
| | - Chien‐Chen Tsai
- Department of Anatomical PathologyFar Eastern Memorial HospitalNew Taipei CityTaiwan
| | - Po‐Yu Li
- FullHope Biomedical Co., LtdNew Taipei CityTaiwan
| | | | | | - Wan‐Yu Lai
- FullHope Biomedical Co., LtdNew Taipei CityTaiwan
| | - I‐Yu Chen
- Division of Nephrology, Department of MedicineFar Eastern Memorial HospitalNew Taipei CityTaiwan
| | - Chiung‐Fang Chang
- Department of Medical ResearchFar Eastern Memorial HospitalNew Taipei CityTaiwan
| | - Jan‐Mou Lee
- FullHope Biomedical Co., LtdNew Taipei CityTaiwan
| | - Yen‐Ling Chiu
- Division of Nephrology, Department of MedicineFar Eastern Memorial HospitalNew Taipei CityTaiwan
- Department of Medical ResearchFar Eastern Memorial HospitalNew Taipei CityTaiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine and Graduate Program in Biomedical InformaticsYuan Ze UniversityTaoyuanTaiwan
- Graduate Institute of Clinical MedicineNational Taiwan University College of MedicineTaipeiTaiwan
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Mitra A, Kumar A, Amdare NP, Pathak R. Current Landscape of Cancer Immunotherapy: Harnessing the Immune Arsenal to Overcome Immune Evasion. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:307. [PMID: 38785789 PMCID: PMC11118874 DOI: 10.3390/biology13050307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immune evasion represents a leading hallmark of cancer, posing a significant obstacle to the development of successful anticancer therapies. However, the landscape of cancer treatment has significantly evolved, transitioning into the era of immunotherapy from conventional methods such as surgical resection, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and targeted drug therapy. Immunotherapy has emerged as a pivotal component in cancer treatment, harnessing the body's immune system to combat cancer and offering improved prognostic outcomes for numerous patients. The remarkable success of immunotherapy has spurred significant efforts to enhance the clinical efficacy of existing agents and strategies. Several immunotherapeutic approaches have received approval for targeted cancer treatments, while others are currently in preclinical and clinical trials. This review explores recent progress in unraveling the mechanisms of cancer immune evasion and evaluates the clinical effectiveness of diverse immunotherapy strategies, including cancer vaccines, adoptive cell therapy, and antibody-based treatments. It encompasses both established treatments and those currently under investigation, providing a comprehensive overview of efforts to combat cancer through immunological approaches. Additionally, the article emphasizes the current developments, limitations, and challenges in cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, by integrating analyses of cancer immunotherapy resistance mechanisms and exploring combination strategies and personalized approaches, it offers valuable insights crucial for the development of novel anticancer immunotherapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Mitra
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Anoop Kumar
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, National Institute of Biologicals, Noida 201309, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Nitin P. Amdare
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
| | - Rajiv Pathak
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
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Marin MA, Closca RM, Marin A, Rakitovan M, Nicoara A, Poenaru M, Militaru M, Baderca F. Clinical, Epidemiological, Morphological, and Immunohistochemical Aspects of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma-4-Year Retrospective Study in the Western Part of Romania. Diagnostics (Basel) 2024; 14:722. [PMID: 38611634 PMCID: PMC11012000 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics14070722] [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: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma is one of the most common malignant tumors in the head and neck region. The carcinogenesis is a complex process stimulated by many factors. Although the etiological factors and pathogenic mechanisms are not elucidated, the genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, and association with latent infection with Epstein-Barr Virus play an important role. The aim of this study was to present the main clinical and epidemiological data, as well as the morphological aspects and the immunohistochemical profile, of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma diagnosed in western Romania. The study was retrospective and included 36 nasopharyngeal carcinomas. The histopathological diagnosis was completed using immunohistochemical reactions for the following antibodies: p63, p53 and p16 protein, cytokeratins (CK) AE1/AE3, CK5, CK7, CK20 and 34βE12, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), leukocyte common antigen (LCA), CD20, CD4, CD8, CD68, CD117, and CD1a. The squamous malignant component of nasopharyngeal carcinoma presented with positivity for cytokeratins AE1/AE3, CK5, 34βE12, and p63. Undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma was positive for EMA in 67% of cases, and 28% of cases showed an immunoreaction for CD117 in the malignant epithelial component. Also, the p53 protein was positive in all the cases. One case of undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma was p16-positive, and two cases were positive for EBV. A peri- and intratumor cellular infiltrate rich in lymphocytes, with a predominance of CD20-positive B lymphocytes, interspersed with T lymphocytes, was observed. The T cells were CD4- and CD8-positive, predominantly intratumoral, and the CD4:CD8 ratio was 1:1 for 75% of the undifferentiated subtype and 89% for differentiated non-keratinized squamous cell carcinoma. All subtypes of nasopharyngeal carcinoma presented with an inflammatory infiltrate with numerous plasma cells, eosinophils, and dendritic cells, presenting as antigen CD1a- and CD68-positive, as well as in CD117-positive mast cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Alina Marin
- ENT Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (M.A.M.); (M.P.)
- ENT Department, Emergency City Hospital, 400139 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Raluca-Maria Closca
- Department of Microscopic Morphology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (M.R.); (F.B.)
- Department of Pathology, Emergency City Hospital, 300254 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Aurel Marin
- ENT Department, Emergency Pediatric Hospital, 400001 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Marina Rakitovan
- Department of Microscopic Morphology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (M.R.); (F.B.)
- Oro-Maxillo-Facial Surgery Clinic, Emergency City Hospital, 300062 Timisoara, Romania;
| | - Adrian Nicoara
- Oro-Maxillo-Facial Surgery Clinic, Emergency City Hospital, 300062 Timisoara, Romania;
- Discipline of Dentoalveolar Surgery, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, 300041 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Marioara Poenaru
- ENT Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (M.A.M.); (M.P.)
- ENT Department, Emergency City Hospital, 300254 Timisoara, Romania
| | - Marius Militaru
- Department of Neuroscience, Discipline of Neurology II, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, 300041 Timisoara, Romania;
| | - Flavia Baderca
- Department of Microscopic Morphology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, 300041 Timisoara, Romania; (M.R.); (F.B.)
- Department of Pathology, Emergency City Hospital, 300254 Timisoara, Romania
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Wibawa MS, Zhou JY, Wang R, Huang YY, Zhan Z, Chen X, Lv X, Young LS, Rajpoot N. AI-Based Risk Score from Tumour-Infiltrating Lymphocyte Predicts Locoregional-Free Survival in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5789. [PMID: 38136336 PMCID: PMC10742296 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245789] [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: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Locoregional recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) occurs in 10% to 50% of cases following primary treatment. However, the current main prognostic markers for NPC, both stage and plasma Epstein-Barr virus DNA, are not sensitive to locoregional recurrence. METHODS We gathered 385 whole-slide images (WSIs) from haematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained NPC sections (n = 367 cases), which were collected from Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Centre. We developed a deep learning algorithm to detect tumour nuclei and lymphocyte nuclei in WSIs, followed by density-based clustering to quantify the tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) into 12 scores. The Random Survival Forest model was then trained on the TILs to generate risk score. RESULTS Based on Kaplan-Meier analysis, the proposed methods were able to stratify low- and high-risk NPC cases in a validation set of locoregional recurrence with a statically significant result (p < 0.001). This finding was also found in distant metastasis-free survival (p < 0.001), progression-free survival (p < 0.001), and regional recurrence-free survival (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in both univariate analysis (HR: 1.58, CI: 1.13-2.19, p < 0.05) and multivariate analysis (HR:1.59, CI: 1.11-2.28, p < 0.05), we also found that our methods demonstrated a strong prognostic value for locoregional recurrence. CONCLUSION The proposed novel digital markers could potentially be utilised to assist treatment decisions in cases of NPC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Made Satria Wibawa
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK; (M.S.W.); (R.W.)
| | - Jia-Yu Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.-Y.Z.); (Y.-Y.H.); (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (X.L.)
- Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Ruoyu Wang
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK; (M.S.W.); (R.W.)
| | - Ying-Ying Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.-Y.Z.); (Y.-Y.H.); (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (X.L.)
- Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Zejiang Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.-Y.Z.); (Y.-Y.H.); (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (X.L.)
- Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.-Y.Z.); (Y.-Y.H.); (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (X.L.)
- Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Xing Lv
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Diagnosis and Therapy, Guangdong Provincial Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China; (J.-Y.Z.); (Y.-Y.H.); (Z.Z.); (X.C.); (X.L.)
- Department of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou 510060, China
| | - Lawrence S. Young
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK;
| | - Nasir Rajpoot
- Tissue Image Analytics Centre, Department of Computer Science, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK; (M.S.W.); (R.W.)
- The Alan Turing Institute, London NW1 2DB, UK
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