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Geidel G, Parnian N, Meß C, Schlepper N, Rünger A, Heidrich I, Hansen I, Smit DJ, Menz A, Pantel K, Schneider SW, Kött J, Gebhardt C. Differential predictive value of tissue-specific PD-L1 expression scores in adjuvant immunotherapy of melanoma. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol 2024; 38:2017-2023. [PMID: 38877773 DOI: 10.1111/jdv.20177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adjuvant treatment of stage II-IV melanoma with PD-1-based immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) has improved relapse-free survival (RFS) and has therefore become a standard-of-care treatment option. Approximately 25%-30% of patients still recur within 1 year. Predictive biomarkers reflecting real-world data are desired. The predictive relevance of tumour tissue PD-L1 expression in the adjuvant setting remains inconclusive. OBJECTIVES This retrospective, observational study was conducted to evaluate the value of PD-L1 expression scores in different tumour tissue locations in predicting response towards adjuvant immunotherapeutic treatment. METHODS Tumour tissue taken prior to anti-PD-1 adjuvant ICI in 243 stage II-IV melanoma patients was collected at University Skin Cancer Center Hamburg. PD-L1 expression was evaluated on immune cells (ICS), tumour cells (TPS) and combined (CPS). Scores were determined by independent pathological physician quantification and correlated with therapy outcome at different cut-off (CO) levels (relapse-free survival, RFS) for different tumour tissue locations (primary tumour, metastases). RESULTS A total of 104 patients were eligible for analysis. Positivity of ICS, TPS and CPS showed no predictive RFS outcome association at different CO levels when analysed irrespective of tissue origin. In primary tumours, ICS at CO 1% showed a significantly improved RFS upon positivity (HR 0.22). In contrast, positivity to TPS (CO 1%) correlated significantly and independently with improved RFS when evaluated in metastatic tumour tissue specimens (HR 0.37). CONCLUSIONS PD-L1 tumour tissue expression may serve as a predictive biomarker for adjuvant ICI treatment response stratification in melanoma, but caution should be spent on the origin of tumour tissue analysed. The cell-type relevant for the predictive value of PD-L1 expression is tissue-specific with immune cells being important in primary tumours while tumour cells are key in metastases. The present results should be validated in a multicentre cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenn Geidel
- University Skin Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Fleur Hiege Center for Skin Cancer Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Niousha Parnian
- University Skin Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Meß
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Noemi Schlepper
- University Skin Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alessandra Rünger
- University Skin Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Fleur Hiege Center for Skin Cancer Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Isabel Heidrich
- University Skin Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Fleur Hiege Center for Skin Cancer Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Inga Hansen
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Daniel J Smit
- Fleur Hiege Center for Skin Cancer Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Anne Menz
- Institute of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Klaus Pantel
- Fleur Hiege Center for Skin Cancer Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Tumor Biology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan W Schneider
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Fleur Hiege Center for Skin Cancer Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Julian Kött
- University Skin Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Fleur Hiege Center for Skin Cancer Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christoffer Gebhardt
- University Skin Cancer Center Hamburg, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Fleur Hiege Center for Skin Cancer Research, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
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Beckabir W, Zhou M, Lee JS, Vensko SP, Woodcock MG, Wang HH, Wobker SE, Atassi G, Wilkinson AD, Fowler K, Flick LM, Damrauer JS, Harrison MR, McKinnon KP, Rose TL, Milowsky MI, Serody JS, Kim WY, Vincent BG. Immune features are associated with response to neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4448. [PMID: 38789460 PMCID: PMC11126571 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48480-1] [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: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Neoadjuvant cisplatin-based chemotherapy is standard of care for muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) alone, and ICI in combination with chemotherapy, have demonstrated promising pathologic response (
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfgang Beckabir
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mi Zhou
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jin Seok Lee
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Steven P Vensko
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mark G Woodcock
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hsing-Hui Wang
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sara E Wobker
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Gatphan Atassi
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alec D Wilkinson
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kenneth Fowler
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Leah M Flick
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Damrauer
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael R Harrison
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Karen P McKinnon
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Tracy L Rose
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Matthew I Milowsky
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jonathan S Serody
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - William Y Kim
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Benjamin G Vincent
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Division of Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Computational Medicine Program, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Fiorentino V, Pizzimenti C, Franchina M, Pepe L, Russotto F, Tralongo P, Micali MG, Militi GB, Lentini M. Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Immunohistochemical Expression and Cutaneous Melanoma: A Controversial Relationship. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:676. [PMID: 38203846 PMCID: PMC10779806 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is traditionally considered one of the most "immunogenic" tumors, eliciting a high immune response. However, despite the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), melanoma cells use strategies to suppress antitumor immunity and avoid being eliminated by immune surveillance. The PD-1 (programmed death-1)/PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1) axis is a well-known immune escape system adopted by neoplastic cells. Therefore, immunotherapy with PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors is quickly becoming the main treatment approach for metastatic melanoma patients. However, the clinical utility of PD-L1 expression assessment in CM is controversial, and the interpretation of PD-L1 scores in clinical practice is still a matter of debate. Nonetheless, the recent literature data show that by adopting specific PD-L1 assessment methods in melanoma samples, a correlation between the expression of such a biomarker and a positive response to PD-1-based immunotherapy can be seen. Our review aims to describe the state-of-the-art knowledge regarding the prognostic and predictive role of PD-L1 expression in CM while also referring to possible biological explanations for the variability in its expressions and related treatment responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Fiorentino
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Cristina Pizzimenti
- Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy;
| | - Mariausilia Franchina
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Ludovica Pepe
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Fernanda Russotto
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Pietro Tralongo
- Department of Women, Children and Public Health Sciences, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli IRCCS University Hospital Foundation, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Marina Gloria Micali
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Gaetano Basilio Militi
- Department of Sciences for Promotion of Health and Mother and Child Care, Anatomic Pathology, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Maria Lentini
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
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Al Taher RS, Abbas MA, Halahleh K, Sughayer MA. Correlation Between ImageJ and Conventional Manual Scoring Methods for Programmed Death-Ligand 1 Immuno-Histochemically Stained Sections. Technol Cancer Res Treat 2024; 23:15330338241242635. [PMID: 38562094 PMCID: PMC10989033 DOI: 10.1177/15330338241242635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: One of the most frequently used methods for quantifying PD-L1 (programmed cell death-ligand 1) expression in tumor tissue is IHC (immunohistochemistry). This may predict the patient's response to anti-PD1/PD-L1 therapy in cancer. Methods: ImageJ software was used to score IHC-stained sections for PD-L1 and compare the results with the conventional manual method. Results: In diffuse large B cell lymphoma, no significant difference between the scores obtained by the conventional method and ImageJ scores obtained using the option "RGB" or "Brightness/Contrast." On the other hand, a significant difference was found between the conventional and HSB scoring methods. ImageJ faced some challenges in analyzing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma tissues because of tissue heterogenicity. A significant difference was found between the conventional and ImageJ scores using HSB or RGB but not with the "Brightness/Contrast" option. Scores obtained by ImageJ analysis after taking images using 20 × objective lens gave significantly higher readings compared to 40 × magnification. A significant difference between camera-captured images' scores and scanner whole slide images' scores was observed. Conclusion: ImageJ can be used to score homogeneous tissues. In the case of highly heterogeneous tissues, it is advised to use the conventional method rather than ImageJ scoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rand Suleiman Al Taher
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan
| | - Manal A. Abbas
- Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan
- Pharmacological and Diagnostic Research Laboratory, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan
| | - Khalid Halahleh
- Department of Medical Oncology, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan
| | - Maher A. Sughayer
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan
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5
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Ertveldt T, Meulewaeter S, De Vlaeminck Y, Olarte O, Broos K, Van Calenbergh S, Bourgeois S, Deprez J, Heremans Y, Goyvaerts C, Staels W, De Smedt S, Dewitte H, Devoogdt N, Keyaerts M, Verbeke R, Barbé K, Lentacker I, Breckpot K. Nanobody-mediated SPECT/CT imaging reveals the spatiotemporal expression of programmed death-ligand 1 in response to a CD8 + T cell and iNKT cell activating mRNA vaccine. Theranostics 2023; 13:5483-5500. [PMID: 37908728 PMCID: PMC10614673 DOI: 10.7150/thno.85106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: Although promising responses are obtained in patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) and its receptor programmed death-1 (PD-1), only a fraction of patients benefits from this immunotherapy. Cancer vaccination may be an effective approach to improve the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors anti-PD-L1/PD-1 therapy. However, there is a lack of research on the dynamics of PD-L1 expression in response to cancer vaccination. Methods: We performed non-invasive whole-body imaging to visualize PD-L1 expression at different timepoints after vaccination of melanoma-bearing mice. Mice bearing ovalbumin (OVA) expressing B16 tumors were i.v. injected with the Galsome mRNA vaccine: OVA encoding mRNA lipoplexes co-encapsulating a low or a high dose of the atypical adjuvant α-galactosylceramide (αGC) to activate invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells. Serial non-invasive whole-body immune imaging was performed using a technetium-99m (99mTc)-labeled anti-PD-L1 nanobody, single-photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) and X-ray computed tomography (CT) images were quantified. Additionally, cellular expression of PD-L1 was evaluated with flow cytometry. Results: SPECT/CT-imaging showed a rapid and systemic upregulation of PD-L1 after vaccination. PD-L1 expression could not be correlated to the αGC-dose, although we observed a dose-dependent iNKT cell activation. Dynamics of PD-L1 expression were organ-dependent and most pronounced in lungs and liver, organs to which the vaccine was distributed. PD-L1 expression in lungs increased immediately after vaccination and gradually decreased over time, whereas in liver, vaccination-induced PD-L1 upregulation was short-lived. Flow cytometric analysis of these organs further showed myeloid cells as well as non-immune cells with elevated PD-L1 expression in response to vaccination. SPECT/CT imaging of the tumor demonstrated that the expression of PD-L1 remained stable over time and was overall not affected by vaccination although flow cytometric analysis at the cellular level demonstrated changes in PD-L1 expression in various immune cell populations following vaccination. Conclusion: Repeated non-invasive whole-body imaging using 99mTc-labeled anti-PD-L1 nanobodies allows to document the dynamic nature of PD-L1 expression upon vaccination. Galsome vaccination rapidly induced systemic upregulation of PD-L1 expression with the most pronounced upregulation in lungs and liver while flow cytometry analysis showed upregulation of PD-L1 in the tumor microenvironment. This study shows that imaging using nanobodies may be useful for monitoring vaccine-mediated PD-L1 modulation in patients and could provide a rationale for combination therapy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that visualizes PD-L1 expression upon cancer vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Ertveldt
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Sofie Meulewaeter
- Ghent research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of Physical Pharmacy and General Biochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent B-9000, Belgium
| | - Yannick De Vlaeminck
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Oscar Olarte
- Biostatistics and Medical Informatics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Katrijn Broos
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Serge Van Calenbergh
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000, Belgium
| | - Stephanie Bourgeois
- Beta Cell Neogenesis (BENE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joke Deprez
- Ghent research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of Physical Pharmacy and General Biochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent B-9000, Belgium
| | - Yves Heremans
- Visual and Spatial Tissue Analysis (VSTA) Core Facility, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, 1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Cleo Goyvaerts
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Willem Staels
- Beta Cell Neogenesis (BENE), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, Brussels, Belgium
- Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel (UZ Brussel), Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Stefaan De Smedt
- Ghent research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of Physical Pharmacy and General Biochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent B-9000, Belgium
| | - Heleen Dewitte
- Ghent research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of Physical Pharmacy and General Biochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent B-9000, Belgium
| | - Nick Devoogdt
- Medical Imaging department, In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marleen Keyaerts
- Medical Imaging department, In Vivo Cellular and Molecular Imaging Laboratory, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
- Nuclear Medicine Department, UZ Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Rein Verbeke
- Ghent research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of Physical Pharmacy and General Biochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent B-9000, Belgium
| | - Kurt Barbé
- Biostatistics and Medical Informatics Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Ine Lentacker
- Ghent research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of Physical Pharmacy and General Biochemistry, Department of Pharmaceutics, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, Ghent B-9000, Belgium
| | - Karine Breckpot
- Laboratory for Molecular and Cellular Therapy, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 103, B-1090 Brussels, Belgium
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Gide TN, Paver EC, Yaseen Z, Maher N, Adegoke N, Menzies AM, Pires da Silva I, Wilmott JS, Long GV, Scolyer RA. Lag-3 expression and clinical outcomes in metastatic melanoma patients treated with combination anti-lag-3 + anti-PD-1-based immunotherapies. Oncoimmunology 2023; 12:2261248. [PMID: 37808404 PMCID: PMC10558007 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2023.2261248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Lymphocyte-activation gene-3 (LAG-3), an immune checkpoint receptor, negatively regulates T-cell function and facilitates immune escape of tumors. Dual inhibition of LAG-3 and programmed cell death receptor-1 (PD-1) significantly improved progression-free survival (PFS) in metastatic melanoma patients compared to anti-PD-1 therapy alone. Investigating the utility of LAG-3 expression as a biomarker of response to anti-LAG-3 + anti-PD-1 immunotherapy is of great clinical relevance. This study sought to evaluate the association between baseline LAG-3 expression and clinical outcomes following anti-LAG-3 and anti-PD-1-based immunotherapy in metastatic melanoma. LAG-3 immunohistochemistry (clone D2G4O) was performed on pre-treatment formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded metastatic melanoma specimens from 53 patients treated with combination anti-LAG-3 + anti-PD-1-based therapies. Eleven patients had received prior anti-PD-1-based treatment. Patients were categorized as responders (complete/partial response; n = 36) or non-responders (stable/progressive disease; n = 17) based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST). Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were scored on hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections. LAG-3 expression was observed in 81% of patients, with staining in TILs and dendritic cells. Responders displayed significantly higher proportions of LAG-3+ cells compared to non-responders (P = .0210). LAG-3 expression positively correlated with TIL score (P < .01). There were no significant differences in LAG-3 expression between different sites of metastases (P > .05). Patients with ≥ 1% LAG-3+ cells in their tumors had significantly longer PFS compared to patients with < 1% LAG-3 expression (P = .0037). No significant difference was observed in overall survival between the two groups (P = .1417). Therefore, the assessment of LAG-3 expression via IHC warrants further evaluation to determine its role as a predictive marker of response and survival in metastatic melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuba N. Gide
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Elizabeth C. Paver
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, Australia
| | - Zarwa Yaseen
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nigel Maher
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, Australia
- Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nurudeen Adegoke
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Alexander M. Menzies
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Mater Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ines Pires da Silva
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Blacktown and Westmead Hospitals, Sydney, Australia
| | - James S. Wilmott
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Georgina V. Long
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia
- Department of Medical Oncology, Mater Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Richard A. Scolyer
- Melanoma Institute Australia, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
- NSW Health Pathology, Sydney, Australia
- Tissue Pathology and Diagnostic Oncology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney, Australia
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Placke JM, Kimmig M, Griewank K, Herbst R, Terheyden P, Utikal J, Pföhler C, Ulrich J, Kreuter A, Mohr P, Gutzmer R, Meier F, Dippel E, Welzel J, Engel DR, Kreft S, Sucker A, Lodde G, Krefting F, Stoffels I, Klode J, Roesch A, Zimmer L, Livingstone E, Hadaschik E, Becker JC, Weichenthal M, Tasdogan A, Schadendorf D, Ugurel S. Correlation of tumor PD-L1 expression in different tissue types and outcome of PD-1-based immunotherapy in metastatic melanoma - analysis of the DeCOG prospective multicenter cohort study ADOREG/TRIM. EBioMedicine 2023; 96:104774. [PMID: 37660535 PMCID: PMC10483509 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104774] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND PD-1-based immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) is the major backbone of current melanoma therapy. Tumor PD-L1 expression represents one of few biomarkers predicting ICI therapy outcome. The objective of the present study was to systematically investigate whether the type of tumor tissue examined for PD-L1 expression has an impact on the correlation with ICI therapy outcome. METHODS Pre-treatment tumor tissue was collected within the prospective DeCOG cohort study ADOREG/TRIM (CA209-578; NCT05750511) between February 2014 and May 2020 from 448 consecutive patients who received PD-1-based ICI for non-resectable metastatic melanoma. The primary study endpoint was best overall response (BOR), secondary endpoints were progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS). All endpoints were correlated with tumor PD-L1 expression (quantified with clone 28-8; cutoff ≥5%) and stratified by tissue type. FINDINGS Tumor PD-L1 was determined in 95 primary tumors (PT; 36.8% positivity), 153 skin/subcutaneous (34.0% positivity), 115 lymph node (LN; 50.4% positivity), and 85 organ (40.8% positivity) metastases. Tumor PD-L1 correlated with BOR if determined in LN (OR = 0.319; 95% CI = 0.138-0.762; P = 0.010), but not in skin/subcutaneous metastases (OR = 0.656; 95% CI = 0.311-1.341; P = 0.26). PD-L1 positivity determined on LN metastases was associated with favorable survival (PFS, HR = 0.490; 95% CI = 0.310-0.775; P = 0.002; OS, HR = 0.519; 95% CI = 0.307-0.880; P = 0.014). PD-L1 positivity determined in PT (PFS, HR = 0.757; 95% CI = 0.467-1.226; P = 0.27; OS; HR = 0.528; 95% CI = 0.305-0.913; P = 0.032) was correlated with survival to a lesser extent. No relevant survival differences were detected by PD-L1 determined in skin/subcutaneous metastases (PFS, HR = 0.825; 95% CI = 0.555-1.226; P = 0.35; OS, HR = 1.083; 95% CI = 0.698-1.681; P = 0.72). INTERPRETATION For PD-1-based immunotherapy in melanoma, tumor PD-L1 determined in LN metastases was stronger correlated with therapy outcome than that assessed in PT or organ metastases. PD-L1 determined in skin/subcutaneous metastases showed no outcome correlation and therefore should be used with caution for clinical decision making. FUNDING Bristol-Myers Squibb (ADOREG/TRIM, NCT05750511); German Research Foundation (DFG; Clinician Scientist Program UMEA); Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS; Medical Scientist Academy UMESciA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan-Malte Placke
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Mona Kimmig
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
| | - Klaus Griewank
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
| | | | | | - Jochen Utikal
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany; DKFZ Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany.
| | - Claudia Pföhler
- Department of Dermatology, Saarland University Medical School, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
| | - Jens Ulrich
- Skin Cancer Center, Department of Dermatology, Harz Clinics, Quedlinburg, Germany.
| | - Alexander Kreuter
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Helios St. Elisabeth Klinik Oberhausen, University Witten-Herdecke, Oberhausen, Germany.
| | - Peter Mohr
- Department of Dermatology, Elbe Kliniken Buxtehude, Buxtehude, Germany.
| | - Ralf Gutzmer
- Department of Dermatology, Skin Cancer Center Minden, Minden, Germany.
| | - Friedegund Meier
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Edgar Dippel
- Department of Dermatology, Ludwigshafen Medical Center, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
| | - Julia Welzel
- Department of Dermatology, Augsburg Medical Center, Augsburg, Germany.
| | - Daniel Robert Engel
- Department of Immunodynamics, Institute for Experimental Immunology and Imaging, Medical Research Centre, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Sophia Kreft
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Antje Sucker
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
| | - Georg Lodde
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
| | - Frederik Krefting
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
| | - Ingo Stoffels
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
| | - Joachim Klode
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
| | - Alexander Roesch
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Lisa Zimmer
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
| | - Elisabeth Livingstone
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
| | - Eva Hadaschik
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany.
| | - Jürgen C Becker
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; Translational Skin Cancer Research, West German Cancer Center, University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany; German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Michael Weichenthal
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Alpaslan Tasdogan
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Dirk Schadendorf
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Selma Ugurel
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Essen/Düsseldorf, Germany.
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8
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Lodde GC, Jansen P, Herbst R, Terheyden P, Utikal J, Pföhler C, Ulrich J, Kreuter A, Mohr P, Gutzmer R, Meier F, Dippel E, Weichenthal M, Sucker A, Placke JM, Zaremba A, Albrecht LJ, Kowall B, Galetzka W, Becker JC, Tasdogan A, Zimmer L, Livingstone E, Hadaschik E, Schadendorf D, Ugurel S, Griewank K. Characterisation and outcome of RAC1 mutated melanoma. Eur J Cancer 2023; 183:1-10. [PMID: 36773463 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2023.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Activating hot spot R29S mutations in RAC1, a small GTPase influencing several cellular processes including cell proliferation and cytoskeleton rearrangement, have been reported in up to 9% of sun-exposed melanomas. Clinical characteristics and treatment implications of RAC1 mutations in melanoma remain unclear. METHODS We investigated the largest set (n = 64) of RAC1 mutated melanoma patients reported to date, including a retrospective single institution cohort (n = 34) from the University Hospital Essen and a prospective multicentre cohort (n = 30) from the translational study Tissue Registry in Melanoma (TRIM; CA209-578), for patient and tumour characteristics as well as therapy outcomes. RESULTS From 3037 sequenced melanoma samples screened RAC1 mutations occurred in ∼2% of samples (64/3037). The most common RAC1 mutation was P29S (95%, 61/64). The majority of tumours had co-occuring MAP kinase mutations (88%, 56/64); mostly activating NRAS (47%, 30/64) mutations, followed by activating BRAF (28%, 18/64) and NF1 (25%, 16/64) mutations. RAC1 mutated melanomas were almost exclusively of cutaneous origin (84%, 54/64) or of unknown primary (MUP, 14%, 9/64). C > T alterations were the most frequent mutation type identified demonstrating a UV-signature for RAC1 mutated melanoma. Most patients with unresectable disease (39) received immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) (77%, 30/39). Objective response rate of first-line treatment in patients with stage III/IV disease was 21%; median overall survival was 47.8 months. CONCLUSIONS RAC1 mutated melanomas are rare, mostly of cutaneous origin and frequently harbour concomitant MAP kinase mutations, particularly in NRAS. Patients with advanced disease benefit from systemic treatment with ICI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg C Lodde
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Philipp Jansen
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Department of Dermatology and Allergology, UK Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
| | - Rudolf Herbst
- Department of Dermatology, Helios Klinikum Erfurt, Erfurt, Germany.
| | | | - Jochen Utikal
- Skin Cancer Unit, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany, Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruprecht-Karl University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany, DFKZ-Hector Cancer Institute, University Medical Center Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Claudia Pföhler
- Saarland University Medical School, Homburg, Department of Dermatology, Homburg/Saar, Germany.
| | - Jens Ulrich
- Department of Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center, Harzklinikum Dorothea Christiane Erxleben, Quedlinburg, Germany.
| | - Alexander Kreuter
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, HELIOS St. Elisabeth Klinik Oberhausen, University Witten/Herdecke, Oberhausen, Germany.
| | - Peter Mohr
- Dermatological Center Buxtehude, Elbe Kliniken Buxtehude, Buxtehude, Germany.
| | - Ralf Gutzmer
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology, Allergology and Phlebology, University Hospital Mühlenkreiskliniken Minden, Minden, Germany.
| | - Friedegund Meier
- Skin Cancer Center at the University Cancer Centre Dresden and National Center for Tumor Diseases, Dresden, Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, TU Dresden, Germany, National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC), Germany, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Edgar Dippel
- Department of Dermatology, Ludwigshafen Medical Center, Ludwigshafen, Germany.
| | - Michael Weichenthal
- Department of Dermatology, Skin Cancer Center, Schleswig-Holstein University Hospital, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Antje Sucker
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Jan-Malte Placke
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Anne Zaremba
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Lea Jessica Albrecht
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Bernd Kowall
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Wolfgang Galetzka
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Jürgen C Becker
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; Translational Skin Cancer Research, University Medicine Essen, Essen, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Alpaslan Tasdogan
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Lisa Zimmer
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Elisabeth Livingstone
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Eva Hadaschik
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
| | - Dirk Schadendorf
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Selma Ugurel
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany; German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
| | - Klaus Griewank
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany.
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Nirmal AJ, Maliga Z, Vallius T, Quattrochi B, Chen AA, Jacobson CA, Pelletier RJ, Yapp C, Arias-Camison R, Chen YA, Lian CG, Murphy GF, Santagata S, Sorger PK. The Spatial Landscape of Progression and Immunoediting in Primary Melanoma at Single-Cell Resolution. Cancer Discov 2022; 12:1518-1541. [PMID: 35404441 PMCID: PMC9167783 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-21-1357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Revised: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma is a highly immunogenic malignancy that is surgically curable at early stages but life-threatening when metastatic. Here we integrate high-plex imaging, 3D high-resolution microscopy, and spatially resolved microregion transcriptomics to study immune evasion and immunoediting in primary melanoma. We find that recurrent cellular neighborhoods involving tumor, immune, and stromal cells change significantly along a progression axis involving precursor states, melanoma in situ, and invasive tumor. Hallmarks of immunosuppression are already detectable in precursor regions. When tumors become locally invasive, a consolidated and spatially restricted suppressive environment forms along the tumor-stromal boundary. This environment is established by cytokine gradients that promote expression of MHC-II and IDO1, and by PD1-PDL1-mediated cell contacts involving macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells. A few millimeters away, cytotoxic T cells synapse with melanoma cells in fields of tumor regression. Thus, invasion and immunoediting can coexist within a few millimeters of each other in a single specimen. SIGNIFICANCE The reorganization of the tumor ecosystem in primary melanoma is an excellent setting in which to study immunoediting and immune evasion. Guided by classic histopathology, spatial profiling of proteins and mRNA reveals recurrent morphologic and molecular features of tumor evolution that involve localized paracrine cytokine signaling and direct cell-cell contact. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1397.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajit J. Nirmal
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Zoltan Maliga
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Tuulia Vallius
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Brian Quattrochi
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Alyce A. Chen
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Connor A. Jacobson
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Roxanne J. Pelletier
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Clarence Yapp
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Raquel Arias-Camison
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Yu-An Chen
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Christine G. Lian
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - George F. Murphy
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Sandro Santagata
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Peter K. Sorger
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Ludwig Center at Harvard, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
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Indini A, Massi D, Pirro M, Roila F, Grossi F, Sahebkar A, Glodde N, Bald T, Mandalà M. Targeting inflamed and non-inflamed melanomas: biological background and clinical challenges. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:477-490. [DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Revised: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 06/18/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
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Genetic and Clinical Characteristics of ARID1A Mutated Melanoma Reveal High Tumor Mutational Load without Implications on Patient Survival. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14092090. [PMID: 35565222 PMCID: PMC9101535 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14092090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Melanoma is a highly malignant skin cancer with the highest mortality of all cutaneous tumors. Relevant genetic events have been identified, which shape the tumor and also the response to treatment. Recurrent ARID1A mutations have been identified, which are associated with improved outcomes to immune checkpoint inhibition in various tumors. Not much was known about the role of ARID1A mutations in melanoma to date. We investigated the largest cohort of ARID1A mutated melanoma to date and were able to show that despite a high mutational load the described beneficial treatment response is not apparent in melanoma. Abstract (1) Background: Melanoma has the highest mortality of all cutaneous tumors, despite recent treatment advances. Many relevant genetic events have been identified in the last decade, including recurrent ARID1A mutations, which in various tumors have been associated with improved outcomes to immunotherapy. (2) Methods: Retrospective analysis of 116 melanoma samples harboring ARID1A mutations. Assessment of clinical and genetic characteristics was performed as well as correlations with treatment outcome applying Kaplan–Meier (log-rank test), Fisher’s exact and Chi-squared tests. (3) Results: The majority of ARID1A mutations were in cutaneous and occult melanoma. ARID1A mutated samples had a higher number of mutations than ARID1A wild-type samples and harbored UV-mutations. A male predominance was observed. Many samples also harbored NF1 mutations. No apparent differences were noted between samples harboring genetically inactivating (frame-shift or nonsense) mutations and samples with other mutations. No differences in survival or response to immunotherapy of patients with ARID1A mutant melanoma were observed. (4) Conclusions: ARID1A mutations primarily occur in cutaneous melanomas with a higher mutation burden. In contrast to findings in other tumors, our data does not support ARID1A mutations being a biomarker of favorable response to immunotherapies in melanoma. Larger prospective studies would still be warranted.
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