Effect of CXCR5-Positive Cell Infiltration on the Immune Contexture and Patient Prognosis in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Downregulated granzyme M expression: implications for the immune system and prognosis of thyroid cancer

Thyroid carcinoma (THCA), the most prevalent endocrine system cancer, is rising worldwide. Granzyme family member GZMM causes tumor cell inflammation and programmed cell death. However, the role of GZMM in THCA has not been investigated. Bioinformatics analysis and assays showed that THCA GZMM protein levels were down-regulated and associated with certain clinicopathological features. Additionally, univariate and multivariate Cox analysis and ROC curve analysis showed that low GZMM expression was related with poor overall survival and might be employed as a prognostic and diagnostic factor. We used functional tests to examine how GZMM affected angiogenesis, invasion, and migration in vitro. TIMER showed a link between GZMM expression, immune cell infiltration, and tumor purity. Overexpression of GZMM also greatly boosted CD8 + T cell-attracting chemokines. TCGA data analysis yielded a GZMM and epigenetic modification-related gene risk prediction model. Overall, GZMM inhibits tumor invasion, migration, and angiogenesis, and is closely related to the immune microenvironment, significantly associated with poor prognosis in THCA patients.

FKBP5 associated CD8 T cell infiltration is a novel prognostic biomarker in luminal B breast cancer

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between FKBP prolyl isomerase 5 (FKBP5) gene expression and CD8 T cells in tumour progression and immunology of the luminal B subtype of breast cancer (LBBC) using bioinformatics analyses.

METHODS

The Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis 2, Human Protein Atlas and breast cancer gene-expression miner v4.5 databases were used for data mining and analysing FKBP5, its co-expressed genes and CD8 T cell-related markers. The Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource 2.0 database was used for analysing the correlation and prognosis of FKBP5 and CD8 T cell infiltration level in LBBC.

RESULTS

Upregulated FKBP5 expression was correlated with improved survival in LBBC. Upregulated FKBP5-related CD8 T cell markers were also demonstrated to be significantly correlated with better survival in LBBC and might play a role in the biological activity of FKBP5.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that FKBP5 and its associated CD8 T cell infiltration are potential benign prognostic indicators for LBBC.

Multi-omic longitudinal study reveals immune correlates of clinical course among hospitalized COVID-19 patients

The IMPACC cohort, composed of >1,000 hospitalized COVID-19 participants, contains five illness trajectory groups (TGs) during acute infection (first 28 days), ranging from milder (TG1-3) to more severe disease course (TG4) and death (TG5). Here, we report deep immunophenotyping, profiling of >15,000 longitudinal blood and nasal samples from 540 participants of the IMPACC cohort, using 14 distinct assays. These unbiased analyses identify cellular and molecular signatures present within 72 h of hospital admission that distinguish moderate from severe and fatal COVID-19 disease. Importantly, cellular and molecular states also distinguish participants with more severe disease that recover or stabilize within 28 days from those that progress to fatal outcomes (TG4 vs. TG5). Furthermore, our longitudinal design reveals that these biologic states display distinct temporal patterns associated with clinical outcomes. Characterizing host immune responses in relation to heterogeneity in disease course may inform clinical prognosis and opportunities for intervention.

A multifaceted and feasible prognostic model of amino acid metabolism-related genes in the immune response and tumor microenvironment of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

We investigated the role of amino acid metabolism (AAM) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tissues to explore its prognostic value and potential therapeutic strategies. A risk score based on four AAM-related genes (AMG) was constructed that could predict the prognosis of HNSCC. These four genes were up-regulated in HNSCC tissues and might act as oncogenes. Internal validation in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) by bootstrapping showed that patients with high-risk scores had a poorer prognosis than patients with low-risk scores, and this was confirmed in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) cohort. There were also differences between the high-risk and low-risk groups in clinical information and different anatomical sites such as age, sex, TNM stage, grade stage, surgery or no surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, no radiotherapy, neck lymph node dissection or not, and neck lymphovascular invasion, larynx, overlapping lesion of lip, and oral cavity and pharynx tonsil of overall survival (OS). Immune-related characteristics, tumor microenvironment (TME) characteristics, and immunotherapy response were significantly different between high- and low-risk groups. The four AMGs were also found to be associated with the expression of markers of various immune cell subpopulations. Therefore, our comprehensive approach revealed the characterization of AAM in HNSCC to predict prognosis and guide clinical therapy.

STAT1 is regulated by TRIM24 and promotes immunosuppression in head and neck squamous carcinoma cells, but enhances T cell antitumour immunity in the tumour microenvironment

BACKGROUND

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a significant problem and is frequently resistant to current treatments. STAT1 is important in anti-tumour immune responses against HNSCC. However, the role of STAT1 expression by tumour cells and its regulation during HNSCC is unclear.

METHODS

We determined the effects of STAT1 inhibition on tumour development and immunity in CAL27 and UMSCC22A HNSCC cell lines in vitro and in a HNSCC carcinogen-induced model in vivo.

RESULTS

STAT1 siRNA knockdown in human HNSCC cells impaired their proliferation and expression of the immunosuppressive marker PD-L1. Stat1-deficient mice displayed increased oral lesion incidence and multiplicity during tumour carcinogenesis in vivo. Immunosuppressive markers PD-1 in CD8+ T cells and PD-L1 in monocytic MDSCs and macrophages were reduced in oral tumours and draining lymph nodes of tumour-bearing Stat1-deficient mice. However, STAT1 was required for anti-tumour functions of T cells during HNSCC in vivo. Finally, we identified TRIM24 to be a negative regulator of STAT1 that plays a similar tumorigenic function to STAT1 in vitro and thus may be a potential target when treating HNSCC.

CONCLUSION

Our findings indicate that STAT1 activity plays an important role in tumorigenicity and immunosuppression during HNSCC development.

Comprehensive analysis of immune cell infiltration and significant genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

Immunotherapy directed at the tumor microenvironment is effective in the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). In contrast, there has been a paucity of research on the relationship between the HNSCC microenvironment and prognostic outcome. Meanwhile, tumor immune cell infiltration (ICI) has emerged as a critical step in immunotherapy.

METHODS

Two algorithms, CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE, were performed to evaluate the ICI view of 885 HNSCC patients using three databases: the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Arrayexpress, and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO).

RESULTS

Different ICI subtypes were identified. Following that, 57 different expression genes (DEGs) were discovered. The ICI scores of all patients were calculated using the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) algorithm. Additionally, an immune-related prognostic signature was developed and validated using 17 of 57 DEGs. Patients with a low-ICI or low-risk score had a higher infiltration immune-activated related cells and higher expression of most immune checkpoint-related molecules, indicating a better prognosis. Furthermore, using the pRRophetic algorithm, the sensitivities of many chemotherapeutic drugs were significantly different between two ICI subtypes or two risk groups. Moreover, a nomogram incorporating the ICI score, risk score, and clinical characteristics was developed and was capable of accurately predicting outcomes.

CONCLUSION

The ICI score and 17-gene signature could improve HNSCC survival prediction, promote individual treatment strategies, and provide promising novel immunotherapy biomarkers.