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Kgokolo MCM, Malinga NZ, Steel HC, Meyer PWA, Smit T, Anderson R, Rapoport BL. Transforming growth factor-β1 and soluble co-inhibitory immune checkpoints as putative drivers of immune suppression in patients with basal cell carcinoma. Transl Oncol 2024; 42:101867. [PMID: 38308919 PMCID: PMC10847768 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The current study compared the levels and possible associations between systemic soluble immune checkpoints (sICPs, n = 17) and a group of humoral modulators of immune suppressor cells (n = 7) in a cohort of patients with basal cell carcinoma (BCC, n = 40) and a group of healthy control subjects (n = 20). The seven humoral modulators of immunosuppressor cells were represented by the enzymes, arginase 1 and fibroblast activation protein (FAP), the chemokine, RANTES (CCL5) and the cytokines, interleukin-10 and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), as well as the M2-type macrophage markers, soluble CD163 (sCD163) and sCD206. The plasma levels of six co-inhibitory sICPs, sCTLA-4, sLAG-3, sPD-1, sPD-L1, sTIM-3 and sPD-L2 were significantly elevated in the cohort of BCC patients (p<0.001-p<0.00001), while that of sBTLA was significantly decreased (p<0.006). Of the co-stimulatory sICPs, sCD27 and sGITR were significantly increased (p<0.0002 and p<0.0538) in the cohort of BCC patients, while the others were essentially comparable with those of the control participants; of the dual active sICPs, sHVEM was significantly elevated (p<0.00001) and TLR2 comparable with the control group. A correlation heat map revealed selective, strong associations of TGF-β1 with seven co-stimulatory (z = 0.618468-0.768131) and four co-inhibitory (z = 0.674040-0.808365) sICPs, as well as with sTLR2 (z = 0.696431). Notwithstanding the association of BCC with selective elevations in the levels of a large group of co-inhibitory sICPs, our novel findings also imply the probable involvement of TGF-β1 in driving immunosuppression in this malignancy, possibly via activation of regulatory T cells. Notably, these abnormalities were present in patients with either newly diagnosed or recurrent disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahlatse C M Kgokolo
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa.
| | - Nonkululeko Z Malinga
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Helen C Steel
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Pieter W A Meyer
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Tshwane Academic Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Teresa Smit
- The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank, Saxonwold, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ronald Anderson
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Bernardo L Rapoport
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank, Saxonwold, Johannesburg, South Africa.
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Kgokolo MCM, Anderson K, Siwele SC, Steel HC, Kwofie LLI, Sathekge MM, Meyer PWA, Rapoport BL, Anderson R. Elevated Levels of Soluble CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, LAG-3 and TIM-3 and Systemic Inflammatory Stress as Potential Contributors to Immune Suppression and Generalized Tumorigenesis in a Cohort of South African Xeroderma Pigmentosum Patients. Front Oncol 2022; 12:819790. [PMID: 35223501 PMCID: PMC8874270 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.819790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by ultraviolet radiation-induced abnormalities of DNA excision and repair pathways is associated with early development of cutaneous cancers. Intracellular oxidative stress has also been proposed as a contributor to the occurrence of skin cancers. However, little is known about the possible augmentative contributions of chronic inflammation, immune suppression and oxidative stress to the pathogenesis of malignancies associated with other subtypes of XP. This has been addressed in the current study, focused on the measurement of systemic biomarkers of inflammation, immune dysfunction and oxidative damage in XP patients, consisting of XP-C, XP-D and XP-E cases, including those XP-C cases who had already developed multiple skin malignancies. The inflammatory biomarker profile measured in XP patients and healthy control subjects included the cytokines, interleukins (ILs)-2, -4, -6, -10, interferon-γ (IFN- γ) and tumor-necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), the acute phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP), and cotinine (as an objective indicator of smoking status). Immune suppression was detected according to the levels of five soluble inhibitory immune checkpoint proteins (CTLA-4, PD-1, PD-L1, LAG-3 and TIM-3), as well as those of vitamin D, while oxidative stress was determined according to the circulating levels of the DNA adduct, 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG). These various biomarkers were measured in plasma using immunofluorimetric, nephelometric and ELISA procedures. Significant elevations in IL-6 (P<0.01) and TNF-α (P<0.0001), but none of the other cytokines, as well as increased levels of all five soluble inhibitory immune checkpoints (P=0.032-P=0.0001) were detected in the plasma of the XP patients. C-reactive protein and vitamin D were increased and decreased, respectively (both P<0.0001), while only one participant had an elevated level of plasma cotinine. Surprisingly, the levels of 8-OH-dG were significantly (P=0.0001) lower in the group of XP patients relative to a group of healthy control subjects. The findings of increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and, in particular, those of the soluble immune checkpoints, in the setting of decreased vitamin D and moderately elevated levels of CRP in XP patients suggest a possible secondary role of ongoing, inflammatory stress and immune suppression in the pathogenesis of XP-associated malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahlatse C M Kgokolo
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Katherine Anderson
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Shalate C Siwele
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Helen C Steel
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Luyanda L I Kwofie
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Tshwane Academic Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mike M Sathekge
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Nuclear Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria and Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Pieter W A Meyer
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Tshwane Academic Division of the National Health Laboratory Service, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Bernardo L Rapoport
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Ronald Anderson
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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