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Kol A, Lubbers JM, Terwindt ALJ, Workel HH, Plat A, Wisman GBA, Bart J, Nijman HW, De Bruyn M. Combined STING levels and CD103+ T cell infiltration have significant prognostic implications for patients with cervical cancer. Oncoimmunology 2021; 10:1936391. [PMID: 34178428 PMCID: PMC8205031 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2021.1936391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of STimulator of INterferon Genes (STING) is important for induction of anti-tumor immunity. A dysfunctional STING pathway is observed in multiple cancer types and associates with poor prognosis and inferior response to immunotherapy. However, the association between STING and prognosis in virally induced cancers such as HPV-positive cervical cancer remains unknown. Here, we investigated the prognostic value of STING protein levels in cervical cancer using tumor tissue microarrays of two patient groups, primarily treated with surgery (n = 251) or radio(chemo)therapy (n = 255). We also studied CD103, an integrin that marks tumor-reactive cytotoxic T cells that reside in tumor epithelium and that is reported to associate with improved prognosis. Notably, we found that a high level of STING protein was an independent prognostic factor for improved survival in both the surgery and radio(chemo)therapy group. High infiltration of CD103+ T cells was associated with improved survival in the radio(chemo)therapy group. The combination of STING levels and CD103+ T cell infiltration is strongly associated with improved prognosis. We conclude that combining the prognostic values of STING and CD103 may improve the risk stratification of cervical cancer patients, independent from established clinical prognostic parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjan Kol
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Joyce M Lubbers
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Anouk L J Terwindt
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Hagma H Workel
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Annechien Plat
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - G Bea A Wisman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Joost Bart
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology, The Netherlands
| | - Hans W Nijman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Marco De Bruyn
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
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Komdeur FL, Wouters MCA, Workel HH, Tijans AM, Terwindt ALJ, Brunekreeft KL, Plat A, Klip HG, Eggink FA, Leffers N, Helfrich W, Samplonius DF, Bremer E, Wisman GBA, Daemen T, Duiker EW, Hollema H, Nijman HW, de Bruyn M. CD103+ intraepithelial T cells in high-grade serous ovarian cancer are phenotypically diverse TCRαβ+ CD8αβ+ T cells that can be targeted for cancer immunotherapy. Oncotarget 2018; 7:75130-75144. [PMID: 27650547 PMCID: PMC5342728 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
CD103+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) have been linked to specific epithelial infiltration and a prolonged survival in high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer (HGSC). However, whether these cells are induced as part of an ongoing anti-HGSC immune response or represent non-specifically expanded resident or mucosal lymphocytes remains largely unknown. In this study, we first confirmed that CD103+ TIL from HGSC were predominantly localized in the cancer epithelium and were strongly correlated with an improved prognosis. We further demonstrate that CD103+ TIL were almost exclusively CD3+ TCRαβ+ CD8αβ+ CD4- T cells, but heterogeneously expressed T cell memory and differentiation markers. Activation of peripheral T cells in the presence of HGSC was sufficient to trigger induction of CD103 in over 90% of all CD8+ cells in a T cell receptor (TCR)- and TGFβR1-dependent manner. Finally, CD103+ TIL isolated from primary HGSC showed signs of recent activation and dominantly co-expressed key immunotherapeutic targets PD-1 and CD27. Taken together, our data indicate CD103+ TIL in HGSC are formed as the result of an adaptive anti-tumor immune response that might be reactivated by (dual) checkpoint inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenne L Komdeur
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Maartje C A Wouters
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands.,University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Netherlands
| | - Hagma H Workel
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Aline M Tijans
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Anouk L J Terwindt
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Kim L Brunekreeft
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Annechien Plat
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Harry G Klip
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Florine A Eggink
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Ninke Leffers
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Wijnand Helfrich
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Surgery, The Netherlands
| | - Douwe F Samplonius
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Surgery, The Netherlands
| | - Edwin Bremer
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Surgery, The Netherlands
| | - G Bea A Wisman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Toos Daemen
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Medical Microbiology, The Netherlands
| | - Evelien W Duiker
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology, The Netherlands
| | - Harry Hollema
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Pathology, The Netherlands
| | - Hans W Nijman
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
| | - Marco de Bruyn
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Netherlands
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