1
|
Gies S, Melchior P, Stroeder R, Tänzer T, Theobald L, Pohlers M, Glombitza B, Sester M, Solomayer EF, Walch-Rückheim B. Immune landscape of vulvar cancer patients treated with surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy revealed restricted T cell functionality and increased IL-17 expression associated with cancer relapse. Int J Cancer 2024; 154:343-358. [PMID: 37786948 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.34745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
For vulvar cancers, radiotherapy is targeting cancer cells, but also affects the host immune system. As this may affect treatment outcome, in this prospective study, we characterized the individual T cell immune milieu induced by surgery and adjuvant radio +/- chemotherapy (aRT) systemically in the blood of vulvar cancer patients and found increased frequencies of Interleukin (IL)-17-producing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells after aRT while frequencies of Th1 and perforin-producing CD8+ killer cells were strongly diminished. Phenotypic characterization revealed enhanced expression of the ectonucleotidase CD39 on Th17 and Tc17 cells as well as CD8+ perforin+ cells after aRT. Furthermore, the aRT cohort exhibited increased proportions of Programmed Cell Death Protein (PD-1) expressing cells among Th1 and CD8+ perforin+ cells, but not among Th17 and Tc17 cells. High post-therapeutic levels of Th17 and Tc17 cells and low proportions of Th1 and CD8+ perforin+ cells expressing PD-1 was associated with reduced recurrence free survival on follow-up. In conclusion, our study defines individual therapy-induced changes in the cellular immune milieu of patients and their association with cancer relapse. Our results may help to explain differences in the individual courses of disease of vulvar cancer patients and suggest PD-1 and IL-17 as targets for immunotherapy in vulvar cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Selina Gies
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Patrick Melchior
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Russalina Stroeder
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Tanja Tänzer
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Laura Theobald
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Maike Pohlers
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Birgit Glombitza
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Martina Sester
- Department of Transplant and Infection Immunology, Saarland University, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Erich-Franz Solomayer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| | - Barbara Walch-Rückheim
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg, Saar, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Pohlers M, Gies S, Taenzer T, Stroeder R, Theobald L, Ludwig N, Kim YJ, Bohle RM, Solomayer EF, Meese E, Hart M, Walch-Rückheim B. Th17 cells target the metabolic miR-142-5p-succinate dehydrogenase subunit C/D (SDHC/SDHD) axis, promoting invasiveness and progression of cervical cancers. Mol Oncol 2023. [PMID: 37899663 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
During cervical carcinogenesis, T-helper (Th)-17 cells accumulate in the peripheral blood and tumor tissues of cancer patients. We previously demonstrated that Th17 cells are associated with therapy resistance as well as cervical cancer metastases and relapse; however, the underlying Th17-driven mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, using microarrays, we found that Th17 cells induced an epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype of cervical cancer cells and promoted migration and invasion of 2D cultures and 3D spheroids via induction of microRNA miR-142-5p. As the responsible mechanism, we identified the subunits C and D of the succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) complex as new targets of miR-142-5p and provided evidence that Th17-miR-142-5p-dependent reduced expression of SDHC and SDHD mediated enhanced migration and invasion of cancer cells using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for SDHC and SDHD, and miR-142-5p inhibitors. Consistently, patients exhibited high levels of succinate in their serum associated with lymph node metastases and diminished expression of SDHD in patient biopsies correlated with increased numbers of Th17 cells. Correspondingly, a combination of weak or negative SDHD expression and a ratio of Th17/CD4+ T cells > 43.90% in situ was associated with reduced recurrence-free survival. In summary, we unraveled a previously unknown molecular mechanism by which Th17 cells promote cervical cancer progression and suggest evaluation of Th17 cells as a potential target for immunotherapy in cervical cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maike Pohlers
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Selina Gies
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Tanja Taenzer
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Russalina Stroeder
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Laura Theobald
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Nicole Ludwig
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Yoo-Jin Kim
- Institute of Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Rainer Maria Bohle
- Institute of Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Erich Franz Solomayer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Eckart Meese
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Martin Hart
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Barbara Walch-Rückheim
- Center of Human and Molecular Biology (ZHMB), Institute of Virology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Theobald L, Stroeder R, Melchior P, Iordache II, Tänzer T, Port M, Glombitza B, Marx S, Schub D, Herr C, Hart M, Ludwig N, Meese E, Kim YJ, Bohle RM, Smola S, Rübe C, Solomayer EF, Walch-Rückheim B. Chemoradiotherapy-induced increase in Th17 cell frequency in cervical cancer patients is associated with therapy resistance and early relapse. Mol Oncol 2021; 15:3559-3577. [PMID: 34469022 PMCID: PMC8637579 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Cervical cancer therapy is still a major clinical challenge, as patients substantially differ in their response to standard treatments, including chemoradiotherapy (CRT). During cervical carcinogenesis, T-helper (Th)-17 cells accumulate in the peripheral blood and tumor tissues of cancer patients and are associated with poor prognosis. In this prospective study, we find increased Th17 frequencies in the blood of patients after chemoradiotherapy and a post-therapeutic ratio of Th17/CD4+ T cells > 8% was associated with early recurrence. Furthermore, Th17 cells promote resistance of cervical cancer cells toward CRT, which was dependent on the AKT signaling pathway. Consistently, patients with high Th17 frequencies in pretherapeutic biopsies exhibit lower response to primary CRT. This work reveals a key role of Th17 cells in CRT resistance and elevated Th17 frequencies in the blood after CRT correspond with early recurrence. Our results may help to explain individual treatment responses of cervical cancer patients and suggest evaluation of Th17 cells as a novel predictive biomarker for chemoradiotherapy responses and as a potential target for immunotherapy in cervical cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura Theobald
- Institute of Virology and Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Russalina Stroeder
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Patrick Melchior
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Ioan Iulian Iordache
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Tanja Tänzer
- Institute of Virology and Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Meike Port
- Institute of Virology and Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Birgit Glombitza
- Institute of Virology and Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Stefanie Marx
- Department of Transplant and Infection Immunology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - David Schub
- Department of Transplant and Infection Immunology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Christian Herr
- Department of Internal Medicine V - Pulmonology, Allergology and Critical Care Medicine, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Martin Hart
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Nicole Ludwig
- Institute of Human Genetics and Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Eckart Meese
- Institute of Human Genetics, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Yoo-Jin Kim
- Institute of Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Rainer Maria Bohle
- Institute of Pathology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Sigrun Smola
- Institute of Virology and Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Christian Rübe
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Erich Franz Solomayer
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University Medical Center, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Barbara Walch-Rückheim
- Institute of Virology and Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Walch-Rückheim B, Ströder R, Theobald L, Pahne-Zeppenfeld J, Hegde S, Kim YJ, Bohle RM, Juhasz-Böss I, Solomayer EF, Smola S. Cervical Cancer-Instructed Stromal Fibroblasts Enhance IL23 Expression in Dendritic Cells to Support Expansion of Th17 Cells. Cancer Res 2019; 79:1573-1586. [PMID: 30696656 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-1913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is a prerequisite for the development of cervical cancer. HPV-transformed cells actively instruct their microenvironment, promoting chronic inflammation and cancer progression. We previously demonstrated that cervical cancer cells contribute to Th17 cell recruitment, a cell type with protumorigenic properties. In this study, we analyzed the expression of the Th17-promoting cytokine IL23 in the cervical cancer micromilieu and found CD83+ mature dendritic cells (mDC) coexpressing IL23 in the stroma of cervical squamous cell carcinomas in situ. This expression of IL23 correlated with stromal Th17 cells, advanced tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, and cervical cancer recurrence. Cocultures of cervical cancer-instructed mDCs and cervical fibroblasts led to potent protumorigenic expansion of Th17 cells in vitro but failed to induce antitumor Th1 differentiation. Correspondingly, cervical cancer-instructed fibroblasts increased IL23 production in cocultured cervical cancer-instructed mDCs, which mediated subsequent Th17 cell expansion. In contrast, production of the Th1-polarizing cytokine IL12 in the cancer-instructed mDCs was strongly reduced. This differential IL23 and IL12 regulation was the consequence of an increased expression of the IL23 subunits IL23p19 and IL12p40 but decreased expression of the IL12 subunit IL12p35 in cervical cancer-instructed mDCs. Cervical cancer cell-derived IL6 directly suppressed IL12p35 in mDCs but indirectly induced IL23 expression in fibroblast-primed mDCs via CAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ)-dependent induction of IL1β. In summary, our study defines a mechanism by which the cervical cancer micromilieu supports IL23-mediated Th17 expansion associated with cancer progression. SIGNIFICANCE: Cervical cancer cells differentially regulate IL23 and IL12 in DC fibroblast cocultures in an IL6/C/EBPβ/IL1β-dependent manner, thereby supporting the expansion of Th17 cells during cancer progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Walch-Rückheim
- Institute of Virology and Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
| | - Russalina Ströder
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Laura Theobald
- Institute of Virology and Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | - Jennifer Pahne-Zeppenfeld
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne and Institute of Virology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Subramanya Hegde
- Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne and Institute of Virology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Yoo-Jin Kim
- Institute of Pathology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | | | - Ingolf Juhasz-Böss
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| | | | - Sigrun Smola
- Institute of Virology and Center of Human and Molecular Biology, Saarland University, Homburg/Saar, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Loharikar A, Newton A, Rowley P, Wheeler C, Bruno T, Barillas H, Pruckler J, Theobald L, Lance S, Brown JM, Barzilay EJ, Arvelo W, Mintz E, Fagan R. Typhoid Fever Outbreak Associated With Frozen Mamey Pulp Imported From Guatemala to the Western United States, 2010. Clin Infect Dis 2012; 55:61-6. [DOI: 10.1093/cid/cis296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
|
6
|
Loharikar A, Briere E, Schwensohn C, Weninger S, Wagendorf J, Scheftel J, Garvey A, Warren K, Villamil E, Rudroff JA, Kurkjian K, Levine S, Colby K, Morrison B, May A, Anderson S, Daly E, Marsden-Haug N, Erdman MM, Gomez T, Rhorer A, Castleman J, Adams JK, Theobald L, Lafon P, Trees E, Mitchell J, Sotir MJ, Behravesh CB. Four Multistate Outbreaks of Human Salmonella Infections Associated with Live Poultry Contact, United States, 2009. Zoonoses Public Health 2012; 59:347-54. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1863-2378.2012.01461.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
7
|
Geethanjali S, Thomas JA, Pandit PN, Theobald L. Teratoma of the thyroid--a rare case. Indian J Cancer 1985; 22:261-5. [PMID: 3843091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
|