T cell receptor-β J usage, in combination with particular HLA class II alleles, correlates with better cancer survival rates

Association of the HLA-DQB1*02 allele with lower tauopathy in Alzheimer's disease

Although many studies have investigated the influence of HLA on the risk of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), there have been inconsistent results. Part of this problem has been attributed to limitations of a clinical assessment in the absence of histopathological confirmation or other quantitative assessments. This study employed a subset of the AD Sequencing Project, representing 2663 cases with histopathological confirmation of AD and confirmation of 881 cognitively normal cases. Two HLA allelic subtypes, DQB1*02:01 and DQB1*02:02, were associated with lower Braak staging, a measure of tauopathy in the brain. These HLA subtypes were also associated with a later age of onset. There was a lower occurrence of HLA-DQB1*02:01 and HLA-DQB1*02:02 in AD cases compared to cognitively normal cases. For all of the above results, replicative sets were confirmatory. The above results were also maintained for both HLA-DQB1*02:01 and HLA-DQB1*02:02 when removing the effect of APOE4 or APOE2. Interestingly, the HLA-DQB1*02 allele binds tau better than all other HLA-DQB1 alleles tested, per an in silico assessment, raising the question of whether deletion of tau binding, auto-reactive T-cells in the thymus could reduce the likelihood of the onset of AD?

Interpretable GWAS by linking clinical phenotypes to quantifiable immune repertoire components

Bridging the gap between genotype and phenotype in GWAS studies is challenging. A multitude of genetic variants have been associated with immune-related diseases, including cancer, yet the interpretability of most variants remains low. Here, we investigate the quantitative components in the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire, the frequency of clusters of TCR sequences predicted to have common antigen specificity, to interpret the genetic associations of diverse human diseases. We first developed a statistical model to predict the TCR components using variants in the TRB and HLA loci. Applying this model to over 300,000 individuals in the UK Biobank data, we identified 2309 associations between TCR abundances and various immune diseases. TCR clusters predicted to be pathogenic for autoimmune diseases were significantly enriched for predicted autoantigen-specificity. Moreover, four TCR clusters were associated with better outcomes in distinct cancers, where conventional GWAS cannot identify any significant locus. Collectively, our results highlight the integral role of adaptive immune responses in explaining the associations between genotype and phenotype.

IGL CDR3 Hydropathy and Antigen Chemical Complementarity Associated with Greater Disease-Free Survival in Lung Adenocarcinoma: Implications for Gender Disparities

With lung cancer remaining a challenging disease, new approaches to biomarker discovery and therapy development are needed. Recent immunogenomics, adaptive immune receptor approaches have indicated that it is very likely that B cells play an important role in mediating better overall outcomes. As such, we assessed physicochemical features of lung adenocarcinoma resident IGL complementarity determining region-3 (CDR3) amino acid (AA) sequences and determined that hydrophobic CDR3 AA sequences were associated with a better disease-free survival (DFS) probability. Further, using a recently developed chemical complementarity scoring algorithm particularly suitable for the evaluation of large patient datasets, we determined that IGL CDR3 chemical complementarity with certain cancer testis antigens was associated with better DFS. Chemical complementarity scores for IGL CDR3-MAGEC1 represented a gender bias, with an overrepresentation of males among the higher IGL-CDR3-CTA complementarity scores that were in turn associated with better DFS (logrank p < 0.065). Overall, this study pointed towards potential biomarkers for prognoses that, in some cases are likely gender-specific; and towards biomarkers for guiding therapy, e.g., IGL-based opportunities for antigen targeting in the lung cancer setting.

A neutrophil extracellular traps-associated lncRNA signature predicts the clinical outcomes in patients with lung adenocarcinoma

Backgrounds: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play an important role in the occurrence, metastasis, and immune escape of cancers. We aim to investigate Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) that are correlated to NETs to find some potentially useful biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and to explore their correlations with immunotherapy and chemotherapy, as well as the tumor microenvironment. Methods: Based on the The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we identified the prognosis-related lncRNAs which are associated with NETs using cox regression. The patients were then separated into two clusters based on the expression of NETs-associated lncRNAs to perform tumor microenvironment analysis and immune-checkpoint analysis. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was then performed to establish a prognostic signature. Furthermore, nomogram analysis, tumor mutation burden analysis, immune infiltration analysis, as well as drug sensitivity analysis were performed to test the signature. Results: Using univariate cox regression, we found 10 NETs-associated lncRNAs that are associated with the outcomes of LUAD patients. Also, further analysis which separated the patients into 2 clusters showed that the 10 lncRNAs had significant correlations with the tumor microenvironment. Using LASSO regression, we finally constructed a signature to predict the outcomes of the patients based on 4 NETs-associated lncRNAs. The 4 NETs-associated lncRNAs were namely SIRLNT, AL365181.3, FAM83A-AS1, and AJ003147.2. Using Kaplan-Meier (K-M) analysis, we found that the risk model was strongly associated with the survival outcomes of the patients both in the training group and in the validation group 1 and 2 (p < 0.001, p = 0.026, and p < 0.01). Using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, we tested the sensitivity combined with the specificity of the model and found that the risk model had a satisfactory level of 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year concordance index (C-index) (C = 0.661 in the training group, C = 0.679 in validation group 1, C = 0.692 in validation group 2). We also explored the immune microenvironment and immune checkpoint correlation of the risk model and found some significant results. Conclusion: We constructed a NETs-associated lncRNA signature to predict the outcome of patients with LUAD, which is associated with immunephenoscores and immune checkpoint-gene expression.

Immunogenomics Parameters for Patient Stratification in Alzheimer's Disease

BACKGROUND

Despite the fact that only modest adaptive immune system related approaches to treating Alzheimer's disease (AD) are available, an immunogenomics approach to the study of AD has not yet substantially advanced.

OBJECTIVE

Thus, we sought to better understand adaptive immune receptor chemical features in the AD setting.

METHODS

We characterized T-cell receptor alpha (TRA) complementarity determining region-3 (CDR3) physicochemical features and identified TRA CDR3 homology groups, represented by TRA recombination reads extracted from 2,665 AD-related, blood- and brain-derived exome files.

RESULTS

We found that a higher isoelectric value for the brain TRA CDR3s was associated with a higher (clinically worse) Braak stage and that a number of TRA CDR3 chemical homology groups, in particular representing bloodborne TRA CDR3s, were associated with higher or lower Braak stages. Lastly, greater chemical complementarity of both blood- and brain-derived TRA CDR3s and tau, based on a recently described CDR3-candidate antigen chemical complementarity scoring process (https://adaptivematch.com), was associated with higher Braak stages.

CONCLUSION

Overall, the data reported here raise the questions of (a) whether progression of AD is facilitated by the adaptive immune response to tau; and (b) whether assessment of such an anti-tau immune response could potentially serve as a basis for adaptive immune receptor related, AD risk stratification?

Pyroptosis-related lncRNAs are potential biomarkers for predicting prognoses and immune responses in patients with UCEC

Uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) is a malignant disease globally, and there is no unified prognostic signature at present. In our study, two clusters were identified. Cluster 1 showed better prognosis and higher infiltration level, such as tumor microenvironment (TME), tumor mutation burden (TMB), and immune checkpoint genes expression. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) indicated that some tumor-related pathways and immune-associated pathways were exposed. What is more, six pyroptosis-related long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) (PRLs) were applied to establish a prognostic signature through multiple Cox regression analysis. In both training and testing sets, patients with higher risk score had poorer survival than patients with low risk. The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves performed that the survival probability was better in people with lower risk score. Mechanism analysis revealed that high risk score was correlated with reduced immune infiltration and T cells exhaustion, matching the definition of an "immune-desert" phenotype. Patients with lower risk score were characterized by higher immune checkpoint gene expression and TMB and have a sensitive response to immunotherapy and chemotherapy compared with patients with high risk score. The signature has accurate prediction ability of UCEC and is a promising therapeutic target to improve the effect of immunotherapy.

Specific TCR V-J gene segment recombinations leading to the identification pan-V-J CDR3s associated with survival distinctions: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

In the diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) setting, we examined lymph node biopsy, T-cell receptor features, and the DLBLC patient human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles, to provide a basis for assessing survival distinctions represented by the National Cancer Institute Center for Cancer Research (NCICCR) dataset. While previous analyses of other cancer datasets have indicated that specific T-cell receptor (TCR) V or J gene segments, independently, can be associated with a survival distinction, we have here identified V-J recombinations, representing specific V and J gene segments associated with survival distinctions. As specific V-J recombinations represent relatively conserved complementarity determining region-3 (CDR3) amino acid sequences, we assessed the entire DLBCL NCICCR dataset for such conserved CDR3 features. Overall, this approach indicated the opportunity of identifying DLBCL patient subpopulations with TCR CDR3 features, and HLA alleles, with significant survival distinctions, possibly identifying cohorts more likely to benefit from a given immunotherapy.

Chemical complementarity between immune receptors and cancer mutants, independent of antigen presentation protein binding, is associated with increased survival rates

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Establishment of an immunological distinction between endometrioid and serous uterine cancers.

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High priority CDR3s, mutant amino acids (AA) for endometrioid cancer prognosis, therapy tools.

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Further understanding of CDR3-mutant AA complementarity scoring factors, such as HLA binding.

Uterine cancer has been associated with a T-cell immune response that leads to increased survival. Therefore, we used several bioinformatics approaches to explore specific interactions between T-cell receptor (TCR) and tumor mutant peptide sequences. Using endometrioid uterine cancer exome files from the The Cancer Genome Atlas database, we obtained tumor resident V-J recombinations for the T-Cell Receptor alpha gene (TRA). The charged-based, chemical complementarity for each patient's LRP2 or TTN mutant amino acids (AAs) and the recovered, TRA complementarity determining region-3 (CDR3) sequences was calculated, allowing a division of patients into complementary and noncomplementary groups. Complementary groups with TTN mutants had increased disease-free survival and increased expression of complement genes. Furthermore, the survival distinction based on CDR3-mutant peptide complementarity was independent of programmatically assessed HLA class II binding and was not observable based on the CDR3 AA chemical features alone. The above approach provides a potential, highly efficient method for identifying TCR targets in uterine cancer and may aid in the development of novel prognostic tools.

Specific HLA alleles, paired with TCR V- and J-gene segment usage, link to distinct multiple myeloma survival rates

Multiple myeloma (MM) immunogenomics studies related to T-cell characterizations and involving large patient sets have been lacking, particularly in comparison to solid tumor types. Thus, we evaluated (i) HLA alleles, and (ii) T-Cell Receptor (TCR) V- and J-gene segment, HLA allele combinations, based on TCR recombinations in blood samples, for their potential associations with overall survival distinctions among an MM cohort. Two HLA alleles, and seven TCR V- or J-gene segment, HLA allele combinations were found to be associated with distinct overall survival rates. For examples, HLA-C*08:02, and the TRAV19, HLA-C*07:01 combination, were found to be associated with negative outcomes. In addition, anti-cytomegalovirus immune receptor sequences, from blood samples, were found to be associated with a positive outcome (p = 0.012, n = 278). These data, and other related immunogenomics data, indicate a potential opportunity to use personal immunogenetics parameters as guides to prognosis and therapies.

TRBV and TRBJ usage, when paired with specific HLA alleles, associates with distinct head and neck cancer survival rates

Common or dominant, T-cell receptor (TCR), V and J usage, in combination with particular human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles, has been associated with differing outcomes in viral infections, autoimmunity, and more recently, in cancer. Cervical cancer in particular represents the most dramatic series of distinctions of outcomes associated with differing combinations of dominant V or J usage and HLA alleles, possibly because of the strong association of cervical cancer with human papilloma virus (HPV), in turn leading to a likely molecular consistency in the mechanism of HPV antigen presentation. Thus, we considered assessing TRB V and J usage, HLA allele combinations, for their associations with survival rates and related data, in the cancer genome atlas head and neck cancer dataset. We obtained the TRB VDJ recombination reads from both the blood and tumor exome files and determined the V and J identities. We then established case ID (patient) subsets of V or J usage, HLA alleles, and determined, for example, that the TRBJ2-7, HLA-B*40:01 combination was associated with a better disease free survival rate than were either the TRBJ1-3, HLA-DPB1*03:01 or the TRBJ2-1, HLA-DPB1*02:01 combinations. Furthermore, these analyses led to the conclusion that TRBJ1-5 usage, and the HLA-C*08:02 and HLA-DRB1*03:01 alleles, had independent associations with distinct overall survival rates. In sum, the results suggest that dominant V or J usage, HLA allele combinations, and in certain cases, dominant V or J usage independently of HLA, could be useful in prognosis and in guiding immunotherapies.

Antiviral T Cell Receptor Complementarity Determining Region-3 Sequences Are Associated with a Worse Cancer Outcome: A Pancancer Analysis

Human papilloma virus has a clearly demonstrated role in cervical and head and neck cancers, but viral etiology for other solid tumors is less well understood. To expand this area of research, we obtained and analyzed the immune receptor recombinations available from both blood and tumor samples, through mining of exome files produced from those sources, for 32 cancer types represented by the cancer genome atlas (TCGA). Among TCGA data sets, the recovery frequency for antiviral complementarity determining region-3 sequences (CDR3s), for T cell receptor-alpha and T cell receptor-beta, ranged from 0% to 21% of the patients, for the different cancer types, with breast, lung, pancreatic, and thymus cancers representing the highest of that range, particularly for tumor tissue resident T cells. In several cases, recovery of the antiviral CDR3s associated with distinct survival rates, and in all of these cases, the recovery of an antiviral CDR3 associated with a worse survival rate.

TRAV gene segments further away from the TRAJ gene segment cluster appear more commonly in human tumor and blood samples

We considered the possibility that the greater the distance between an immune receptor V and J, the more likely the V usage. Such a hypothesis is supported by results from mouse experiments. And, such a hypothesis is consistent with the fundamental nature of recombination and genomic distance: the further the distance, the greater the chance of a DNA break. Thus, we exploited the vast dataset of V and J recombination reads available for the human TRA gene, particularly from cancer and blood specimens, to assess the frequency of TRAV usage with respect to distance from the TRAJ cluster. Results indicated that, indeed, over the entire TRAV cluster, there is a greater chance of V usage the further the distance from the J cluster. These results do not address causation, and are not consistent for certain individual V gene segments, but the results do indicate that overall, the larger the distance between the V and J gene segment cluster, the more likely the appearance of at least a subset of TRAV segments, particularly among tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. With a similar approach, the distal TRAV gene segments were also found to be more commonly associated with a subset of distal TRAJ segments. These results have implications for restrictions on the apparent TRA repertoire in disease settings.

T-cell receptor-α CDR3 domain chemical features correlate with survival rates in bladder cancer

PURPOSE

In certain cancer settings, a T-cell response to cancer represents a relatively favorable outcome. Thus, the near-future challenges include a better understanding of exactly which T-cell features contribute to a response to which cancer antigen-groups, to maximize the opportunities for tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL)-based therapies and other immunotherapies.

METHODS

The immune receptor complementarity determining region-3 (CDR3) is considered to be important for antigen binding, hence, in this report, we evaluated the chemical features of the CDR3 of 846 T-cell receptor-α (TCR-α) coding regions associated with bladder tumor tissue, using bioinformatics databases.

RESULTS

Results indicated that statistically significantly distinct, low value, CDR3 region isoelectric points associate with a better outcome (log rank p < 0.027, overall survival). Moreover, in samples representing the more favorable isoelectric points, known driver mutations, for example, PIK3CA (E → K) with chemically complementary features overlap the better-outcome, low isoelectric point samples. Further work extended these results, i.e., survival rate-CDR3 associations, to other CDR3 chemical features and other cancers, consistent with the initial isoelectric point-related, bladder cancer findings.

CONCLUSIONS

A bioinformatics assessment of cancer-associated TCR biochemical features may improve the accuracy of the predictions of which TILs will be best for ex-vivo amplification and which patients will benefit from other immunotherapies.

TRB-J1 usage, in combination with the HLA-A*01:01 allele, represents an apparent survival advantage for uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma: Comparisons with microscopic assessments of lymphocyte infiltrates

The opportunity for the highly efficient recovery of immune receptor recombination data from cancer specimens, including the ready assessment of immune receptor V and J usage, raises the issue of establishing precise values of assessing the immune receptor status as opposed to obtaining basic information regarding lymphocyte infiltration, in the cancer setting. In this report, we obtained the lymphocyte infiltration percentages from the cancer digital slide archive representing uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC) and correlated these data with recovery of the immune receptor recombination reads from corresponding UCEC exome files. Results indicated a basic correlation of the recovery of productive T-cell receptor beta (TRB) recombination reads with lymphocyte infiltration percentages. However, the recovery of specific immune receptor recombination reads did not indicate the same survival outcomes as microscope detection of lymphocyte infiltrate percentages. To further exploit the value of recovery of the TRB recombination reads from the UCEC exome files, we determined the survival outcomes for combinations of TRB gene segment usage and HLA class I alleles, with the most important result being that the combination of HLA-A*01:01 and TRB-J1 segment usage reflected a strikingly high survival rate. Overall, this report emphasized the increased value of the knowledge of the immune receptor recombinations, in comparison with basic lymphocyte infiltration percentages, in assessing cancer survival rates.

Mutant cytoskeletal and ECM peptides sensitive to the ST14 protease are associated with a worse outcome for glioblastoma multiforme

We previously identified a set of the most frequently mutated cytoskeleton- and extracellular matrix-related proteins (CECMPs) in numerous cancer datasets. In this report, we used a bioinformatics approach to assess the impact of amino acid (AA) substitutions on the sensitivity of CECMPs to the ST14 protease (matriptase I), a transmembrane serine protease previously implicated in cancer development. Results indicated that AA substitutions in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) CECMPs are skewed toward increased resistance to the ST14 protease, in comparison to the wild-type peptide sequence. Furthermore, the protease resistant AA substitutions represent relatively high binding affinities to HLA class I proteins, when assessing the binding specificities using HLA class I alleles matched to the source of the mutant AA. Moreover, samples representing AA substitutions that increased protease sensitivity also represented reduced overall and disease-free survival periods for patients with glioblastoma. To assess tumor specimen immunogenicity, we identified T-cell receptor (TCR) V(D)J recombinations in GBM exome files. The overlap between ST14 protease sensitive mutant barcodes and the TCR V(D)J recombination read positive barcodes represented significantly reduced survival.