Predominant donor CD103+CD8+ T cell infiltration into the gut epithelium during acute GvHD: a role of gut lymph nodes

Background: The role of checkpoint axes in transplantation has been partially addressed in animal models but not in humans. Occurrence of fulminant myocarditis with allorejection-like immunologic features in patients under anti-PD1 (programmed death cell protein 1) treatment suggests a key role of the PD1/PD-L1 (programmed death ligand 1) axis in cardiac immune homeostasis. Methods: We cross-sectionally studied 23 heart transplant patients undergoing surveillance endomyocardial biopsy. Endomyocardial tissue and peripheral blood mononuclear cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Multivariate logistic regression analyses including demographic, clinical, and hemodynamic parameters were performed. Murine models were used to evaluate the impact of PD-L1 endothelial graft expression in allorejection. Results: We found that myeloid cells dominate the composition of the graft leukocyte compartment in most patients, with variable T-cell frequencies. The CD (cluster of differentiation) 4:CD8 T-cell ratios were between 0 and 1.5. The proportion of PD-L1 expressing cells in graft endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and myeloid leukocytes ranged from negligible up to 60%. We found a significant inverse logarithmic correlation between the proportion of PD-L1 + HLA (human leukocyte antigen)-DR + endothelial cells and CD8 + T cells (slope, −18.3 [95% CI, −35.3 to −1.3]; P =0.030). PD-L1 expression and leukocyte patterns were independent of demographic, clinical, and hemodynamic parameters. We confirmed the importance of endothelial PD-L1 expression in a murine allogeneic heart transplantation model, in which Tie2 Cre pdl1 fl/fl grafts lacking PD-L1 in endothelial cells were rejected significantly faster than controls. Conclusions: Loss of graft endothelial PD-L1 expression may play a role in regulating CD8 + T-cell infiltration in human heart transplantation. Murine model results suggest that loss of graft endothelial PD-L1 may facilitate alloresponses and rejection.

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m6A Modification Patterns Identify a Subset of Follicular Lymphoma Harboring an Exhausted Tumor Microenvironment

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood-2021-151959 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 138 (Supplement 1) ◽

pp. 4486-4486

Author(s):

Xianhuo Wang ◽

Tingting Zhang ◽

Hengqi Liu ◽

Sicong Zhang ◽

Kai Fu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cell ◽

Follicular Lymphoma ◽

Cd8 T Cell ◽

Gene Signature ◽

Cd4 T Cell ◽

Cell Infiltration ◽

Biological Processes ◽

T Cell Infiltration ◽

Cluster A

Abstract Background: Epigenetic dysregulation is important for the pathogenesis of follicular lymphoma (FL). N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common post-transcriptional modification of mRNA. The m6A modification affects a wide range of cellular processes, including RNA stability, export, splicing or translation, and is extensively involved in the development and progression of multiple non-hematological and hematological malignancies. However, the role of m6A modification in FL remain largely unknown. Methods: We comprehensively evaluated the m6A modification patterns of 351 FL patients from three cohorts based on 16 m6A regulators and constructed the m6A gene signature the by unsupervised clustering analysis. The m6A score was then established using principal component analysis. The association between m6A modification patterns and prognostic implications, biological processes, and microenvironment characterizations in FL were further investigated. Results: A total of 16 m6A regulators were finally identified in this study, including 8 writers, 7 readers and one eraser. Two distinct m6A modification patterns, termed as m6A cluster A and m6A cluster B respectively, were identified based on the similarity displayed by the expression levels of 16 m6A regulators and the proportion of ambiguous clustering measure. Patients with m6A cluster A had significantly poorer survival than those with m6A cluster B (p=0.0085) and showed enrichment in cell cycle, DNA replication and mismatch repair biological processes. However, patients with m6A cluster B were markedly enriched in MAPK pathway, WNT pathway, mTOR pathway, natural killer cell mediated cototoxicity, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and T-cell receptor pathway. Additionally, myeloid dendritic cell and CD8 + T cell were significantly enriched in m6A cluster A, nevertheless CD4 + T cell was abundant in m6A cluster B. Base on the DEGs between m6A cluster A and m6A cluster B, a m6A gene signature was further constructed, namely m6A gene signature A and m6A gene signature B. Patients with m6A gene signature B experienced worse outcome than those with m6A gene signature A. Simultaneously, a m6A scoring model was also established to quantify the m6A modification pattern of individual patients with FL. Patients with low m6A score presented a prominent inferior survival than those with high m6A score (p< 0.0001). The median survival times for patients with low and high m6A score were 8.84 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.251-10.429) and 15.73 years (95% CI: 11.729-19.731), respectively. High m6A score group was remarkably riched in macrophage cell and CD4 + T cell infiltration, while low m6A score group exhibited significantly increased myeloid dendritic cell and CD8 + T cell infiltration, suggesting that m6A score could distinguish populations with distinct immune cell infiltration characteristics. GSVA analysis showed that the expression of genes involved in the immune and inflammatory response was significantly upregulated in low m6A score group. But we finally found that the CD8 + T cells in low m6A score group kept in a state of exhaustion, leading to that exhausted T cells were enriched in low m6A score group. The expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 in low m6A score group was also higher than those in high m6A score group. GSEA analysis showed that low m6A score group exhibited an enhanced IFN-γ response. Finally, we verified the value of the m6A score for predicting response to anti-PD-L1 antibody in external immunotherapy cohort (IMvigor210), and found that patients with low m6A score exhibited significantly clinical benefits and a markedly prolonged survival from anti-PD-L1 therapy. Conclusions: This is the first time to comprehensively investigate the role of m6A modification in FL. The m6A score identifies a subset of follicular lymphoma harboring an exhausted tumor microenvironment and helps for the selection of patients for immunotherapy, guiding the personalized immunotherapy in FL. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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YKT6, as a potential predictor of prognosis and immunotherapy response for oral squamous cell carcinoma, is related to cell invasion, metastasis, and CD8+ T cell infiltration

OncoImmunology ◽

10.1080/2162402x.2021.1938890 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 1938890

Author(s):

Zongcheng Yang ◽

Guangxing Yan ◽

Lixin Zheng ◽

Wenchao Gu ◽

Fen Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽

T Cell ◽

Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽

Cell Carcinoma ◽

Squamous Cell ◽

Cell Invasion ◽

Cd8 T Cell ◽

Cell Infiltration ◽

Potential Predictor ◽

T Cell Infiltration

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CD8 + T Cell Infiltration Predicts Chemoradiosensitivity in Nasopharyngeal or Oropharyngeal Cancer

The Laryngoscope ◽

10.1002/lary.29097 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 131 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Toshihiko Kawaguchi ◽

Takeharu Ono ◽

Fumihiko Sato ◽

Akihiko Kawahara ◽

Tatsuyuki Kakuma ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cell ◽

Oropharyngeal Cancer ◽

Cd8 T Cell ◽

Cell Infiltration ◽

T Cell Infiltration

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Preliminary Computed Tomography Radiomics Model for Predicting Pretreatment CD8+ T-Cell Infiltration Status for Primary Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography ◽

10.1097/rct.0000000000001149 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽

Author(s):

Colin Y. Wang ◽

Daniel Thomas Ginat

Keyword(s):

Computed Tomography ◽

Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽

T Cell ◽

Cell Carcinoma ◽

Head And Neck ◽

Squamous Cell ◽

Cd8 T Cell ◽

Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma ◽

Cell Infiltration ◽

T Cell Infiltration

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342 Combining enadenotucirev and nivolumab increased tumour immune cell infiltration/activation in patients with microsatellite-stable/instability-low metastatic colorectal cancer in a phase 1 study

Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer ◽

10.1136/jitc-2021-sitc2021.342 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (Suppl 3) ◽

pp. A368-A369

Author(s):

David Krige ◽

Marwan Fakih ◽

Lee Rosen ◽

Ding Wang ◽

Wael Harb ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

T Cell ◽

Metastatic Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cd8 T Cell ◽

Post Treatment ◽

Institutional Review Board ◽

Cell Infiltration ◽

Link Type ◽

T Cell Infiltration ◽

Institutional Review

BackgroundMicrosatellite-stable (MSS) and instability-low (MSI-L) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) are typically characterised as ”immune-excluded/desert” tumour microenvironments lacking T-cell infiltration. Anti-PD-1 monotherapy has little clinical benefit in MSS/MSI-L mCRC1 and knowledge of the effects of PD-1 inhibition on T-cell activation/infiltration in this population is limited. Novel combination therapies to overcome anti-PD-1 resistance are required. SPICE is a multicentre, open-label, phase 1 study of the tumour-selective chimeric Ad11/Ad3 group B oncolytic adenovirus enadenotucirev plus nivolumab in patients with metastatic/advanced epithelial tumours refractory to standard therapy. Preliminary data from patients with MSS/MSI-L mCRC demonstrated a median overall survival of 14 months, manageable tolerability and intratumoural T-cell infiltration.2 Here we characterise the immunological effects of tumour re-engineering with enadenotucirev in combination with nivolumab in patients with MSS/MSI-L mCRC.MethodsPatients received increasing doses and/or cycles of intravenous enadenotucirev followed by up to 8 cycles of nivolumab as previously described.2 Wherever possible, pre- and post-treatment (~5 weeks post-first enadenotucirev) biopsies were collected; samples were analysed using immunohistochemistry and automated image analysis. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell immunophenotyping (multiparameter flow cytometry) and serum cytokines were assessed at multiple times.Results43 patients with mCRC were treated (86% MSS/MSI-L; 14% unknown). Among the 13 patients (12/13 MSS/MSI-L; 1/13 unknown) with matched biopsies, 11 had increased intratumoural and stromal CD8+ T-cell infiltration in post-treatment biopsies (median [Q1-Q3] fold changes 6.5× [1.5–25.4] and 1.9× [1.5–3.9], respectively; figure 1). CD4+ T-cell density increased in 10/13 patients and 8/13 patients had increased proportions of PD-L1+ immune cells. Increases in CD8 T-cell proliferation (Ki67; 7/9 patients) and cytolytic activity (Granzyme B; 7/13 patients) markers were seen. 4/13 patients converted from a ”desert” to an ”inflamed” immune phenotype (pathologist scored CD8/pan-cytokeratin staining). Immunophenotyping showed trends towards increased T-cell activation (CD38+ and HLA-DR+ CD8+ T cell populations) post-treatment (9/10 patients), including in one patient who had only received enadenotucirev prior to sampling. Persistent increases in inflammatory cytokines (IFNγ, IL-12p70, IL-17a) were seen in two patients from ~Day 15, including one who achieved a sustained objective response.Abstract 342 Figure 1Tumour immune cell infiltration following treatment with enadenotucirev plus nivolumabConclusionsThese data show that intravenous enadenotucirev plus nivolumab can induce immune infiltration/activation within MSS/MSI-L mCRC. These encouraging findings suggest that immune activation can be achieved even in ”immune-excluded/desert” tumours. SPICE has been closed following completion of dose-escalation. Efforts are now focused on the development of next-generation variants of enadenotucirev designed to further re-programme the tumour microenvironment by expressing immune-enhancer transgenes (T-SIGn vectors); these studies are ongoing (NCT04830592, NCT04053283, NCT03852511).AcknowledgementsThis study was funded by PsiOxus Therapeutics Limited and Bristol Myers Squibb. Medical writing support: Lola Parfitt, MRes, of PsiOxus Therapeutics Limited.Trial RegistrationEudraCT number2017-001231-39NCT number: NCT02636036ReferencesKawazoe A, Kuboki Y, Shinozaki E, et al. Multicenter phase I/II trial of napabucasin and pembrolizumab in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (EPOC1503/SCOOP trial). Clin Cancer Res 2020;26:5887–5894.Fakih M, Wang D, Harb W, et al. SPICE: a phase I multicenter study of enadenotucirev in combination with nivolumab in tumors of epithelial origin: an analysis of the metastatic colorectal cancer patients in the dose escalation phase. Ann Oncol 2019:30(suppl_5):v252.Ethics ApprovalThe study was approved by the WCG Institutional Review Board (study approval number 20152656), UCLA Institutional Review Board (study approval number IRB#15-002010), Vanderbilt Institutional Review Board (study approval number IRB #171453) and Henry Ford Institutional Review Board (study approval number IRB #10349).

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Updates on Immunotherapy and Immune Landscape in Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13225856 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (22) ◽

pp. 5856

Author(s):

Myung-Chul Kim ◽

Zeng Jin ◽

Ryan Kolb ◽

Nicholas Borcherding ◽

Jonathan Alexander Chatzkel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cell ◽

Immune Cells ◽

Immune Cell ◽

Single Cell Analysis ◽

Clear Cell ◽

Cd8 T Cell ◽

Cell Infiltration ◽

Cellular Mechanisms ◽

T Cell Infiltration ◽

Immunological Mechanisms

Several clinicopathological features of clear cell renal cell carcinomas (ccRCC) contribute to make an “atypical” cancer, including resistance to chemotherapy, sensitivity to anti-angiogenesis therapy and ICIs despite a low mutational burden, and CD8+ T cell infiltration being the predictor for poor prognosis–normally CD8+ T cell infiltration is a good prognostic factor in cancer patients. These “atypical” features have brought researchers to investigate the molecular and immunological mechanisms that lead to the increased T cell infiltrates despite relatively low molecular burdens, as well as to decipher the immune landscape that leads to better response to ICIs. In the present study, we summarize the past and ongoing pivotal clinical trials of immunotherapies for ccRCC, emphasizing the potential molecular and cellular mechanisms that lead to the success or failure of ICI therapy. Single-cell analysis of ccRCC has provided a more thorough and detailed understanding of the tumor immune microenvironment and has facilitated the discovery of molecular biomarkers from the tumor-infiltrating immune cells. We herein will focus on the discussion of some major immune cells, including T cells and tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) in ccRCC. We will further provide some perspectives of using molecular and cellular biomarkers derived from these immune cell types to potentially improve the response rate to ICIs in ccRCC patients.

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Spatiotemporal single-cell profiling of gastrointestinal GVHD reveals invasive and resident memory T cell states

10.1101/2020.07.20.212399 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Victor Tkachev ◽

James Kaminski ◽

E. Lake Potter ◽

Scott N. Furlan ◽

Alison Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

T Cells ◽

T Cell ◽

Single Cell ◽

Cd8 T Cell ◽

Transcriptomic Analysis ◽

Cell Infiltration ◽

Cell Transplant ◽

Gi Tract ◽

Tissue Invasion ◽

T Cell Infiltration

ABSTRACTOne of the central challenges in the field of allo-immunity is deciphering the mechanisms driving T cells to infiltrate and subsequently occupy target organs to cause disease. The act of CD8-dominated T cell infiltration is critical to acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD), wherein donor T cells become activated, tissue-infiltrating and highly cytotoxic, causing wide-spread tissue damage after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (allo-HCT). However, in human and non-human primate studies, deconvolving the transcriptional programs of newly recruited relative to resident memory T cells in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract has remained a challenge. In this study, we combined the novel technique of Serial Intravascular Staining (SIVS) with single-cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-seq) to enable detailed dissection of the tightly connected processes by which T cells first infiltrate tissues and then establish a pathogenic tissue residency program after allo-HCT in non-human primates. Our results have enabled the creation of a spatiotemporal map of the transcriptional drivers of CD8 T cell infiltration into the primary aGVHD target-organ, the GI tract. We identify the large and small intestines as the only two sites demonstrating allo-specific, rather than lymphdepletion-driven T cell infiltration. The donor CD8 T cells that infiltrate the GI tract demonstrate a highly activated, cytotoxic phenotype while simultaneously rapidly developing canonical tissue-resident memory (TRM) protein expression and transcriptional signatures, driven by IL-15/IL-21 signaling. Moreover, by combining SIVS and transcriptomic analysis, we have been able to work backwards from this pathogenic TRM programing, and, for the first time, identify a cluster of genes directly associated with tissue invasiveness, prominently including specific chemokines and adhesion molecules and their receptors, as well as a central cytoskeletal transcriptional node. The clinical relevance of this new tissue invasion signature was validated by its ability to discriminate the CD8 T cell transcriptome of patients with GI aGVHD. These results provide new insights into the mechanisms controlling tissue infiltration and pathogenic CD8 TRM transcriptional programing, uncovering critical transitions in allo-immune tissue invasion and destruction.One sentence summaryFlow cytometric and transcriptomic analysis reveals coordinated tissue-infiltration and tissue-residency programs driving gastrointestinal aGVHD.

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