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HLA class I loss and PD-L1 expression in lung cancer: impact on T-cell infiltration and immune escape.

ABSTRACT: Immune-checkpoint inhibitors show encouraging results in cancer treatment, but the clinical benefit is limited exclusively to a subset of patients. We analyzed the density and composition of tumor T-cell infiltration in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) in relation to PD-L1 and HLA class I (HLA-I) expression. We found that positive HLA-I expression, independently on PD-L1 status, is the key factor determining the increased density of the immune infiltrate. When both markers were analyzed simultaneously, we identified four phenotypes of HLA-I and PD-L1 co-expression. They demonstrated different patterns of tumor infiltration and clinicopathologic characteristics, including the tumor size and lymphatic spread. All HLA-I+/PD-L1+ tumors had a high degree of intratumoral infiltration with CD8+T-lymphocytes, whereas HLA-I loss was associated with a significantly reduced number of tumor infiltrating T-lymphocytes mostly restrained in the stroma surrounding the tumor nest. HLA-I-negative/PD-L1-positive tumors had bigger size (T) and lower grade of infiltration with CD8+T-cells. It represents a cancer immune escape phenotype that combines two independent mechanisms of immune evasion: loss of HLA-I and upregulation of PD-L1. Using GCH-array analysis of human lung cancer cell lines we found that the loss of heterozygosity (LOH) with complete or partial deletion of HLA-I genes is the principal mechanism of HLA-I alterations. This irreversible defect, which could potentially decrease the clinical efficacy of lung cancer immunotherapy, appears to be underestimated. In conclusion, our results suggest that the analysis of HLA-I is very important for the selection of potential responders to cancer immunotherapy.

SUBMITTER: Perea F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5790526 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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HLA class I loss and PD-L1 expression in lung cancer: impact on T-cell infiltration and immune escape.

Perea Francisco F Sánchez-Palencia Abel A Gómez-Morales Mercedes M Bernal Mónica M Concha Ángel Á García Míguela Méndez MM González-Ramírez Amanda Rocío AR Kerick Martin M Martin Javier J Garrido Federico F Ruiz-Cabello Francisco F Aptsiauri Natalia N

Oncotarget 20171219 3

Immune-checkpoint inhibitors show encouraging results in cancer treatment, but the clinical benefit is limited exclusively to a subset of patients. We analyzed the density and composition of tumor T-cell infiltration in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) in relation to PD-L1 and HLA class I (HLA-I) expression. We found that positive HLA-I expression, independently on PD-L1 status, is the key factor determining the increased density of the immune infiltrate. When both markers were analyzed sim ...[more]

PMID: 29423109

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Project description:BackgroundIn patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), immune checkpoint blockade is ineffective, and combinatorial approaches enhancing immunogenicity need exploration.MethodsWe treated 43 patients with predominantly microsatellite stable RAS/BRAF wild-type mCRC on a phase II trial combining chemotherapy with the epidermal growth factor receptor antibody cetuximab and the programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody avelumab. We performed next-generation gene panel sequencing for mutational typing of tumors and liquid biopsy monitoring as well as digital droplet PCR to confirm individual mutations. Translational analyses included tissue immunohistochemistry, multispectral imaging and repertoire sequencing of tumor-infiltrating T cells. Detected PD-L1 mutations were mechanistically validated in CRISPR/Cas9-generated cell models using qRT-PCR, immunoblotting, flow cytometry, complement-dependent cytotoxicity assay, antibody-dependent cytotoxicity by natural killer cell degranulation assay and LDH release assay as well as live cell imaging of T cell mediated tumor cell killing.ResultsCirculating tumor DNA showed rapid clearance in the majority of patients mirroring a high rate of early tumor shrinkage. In 3 of 13 patients expressing the high-affinity Fcγ receptor 3a (FcγR3a), tumor subclones with PD-L1 mutations were selected that led to loss of tumor PD-L1 by nonsense-mediated RNA decay in PD-L1 K162fs and protein degradation in PD-L1 L88S. As a consequence, avelumab binding and antibody-dependent cytotoxicity were impaired, while T cell killing of these variant clones was increased. Interestingly, PD-L1 mutant subclones showed slow selection dynamics reversing on avelumab withdrawal and patients with such subclones had above-average treatment benefit. This suggested that the PD-L1 mutations mediated resistance to direct antitumor effects of avelumab, while at the same time loss of PD-L1 reduced biological fitness by enhanced T cell killing limiting subclonal expansion.ConclusionThe addition of avelumab to standard treatment appeared feasible and safe. PD-L1 mutations mediate subclonal immune escape to avelumab in some patients with mCRC expressing high-affinity FcγR3a, which may be a subset experiencing most selective pressure. Future trials evaluating the addition of avelumab to standard treatment in MSS mCRC are warranted especially in this patient subpopulation.Trial registration numberNCT03174405.

Project description:BackgroundImmunotherapy has proven to be an emerging treatment for non-small-cell lung cancer in recent years. Notably, smokers show higher programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression and better responses to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors than nonsmokers. Genome-wide association studies show that the CHRNΑ5 encoding α5-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α5-nAChR) is especially relevant to lung cancer and nicotine dependence. Jab1 is a key regulatory factor and promotes the stabilization of PD-L1. Our previous study reported that α5-nAChR mediates lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis via STAT3/Jab1. However, the link between α5-nAChR and PD-L1 is unclear in LUAD.MethodsWe used various bioinformatics databases to analyze the expression of related genes and their correlations. Expression and clinicopathologic significance of α5-nAChR and PD-L1 were detected by immunohistochemistry in a tissue microarray. α5-nAChR regulated LUAD cell immune escape by targeting the STAT3/Jab1-PD-L1 signalling by Western-blotting and ChIP in vitro. We used T cell coculture, flow cytometry, ELISA, CCK8 assay and crystal violet staining to detect the expression of regulatory T cell (Tregs), IFN-γ, IL-2 and the ability of T cell-mediated tumour cell killing respectively. IF assays were performed in both cancer cells and tumour xenograft paraffin sections to analyze the protein expression. The in vivo experiments in mouse model were performed to show the α5-nAChR-mediated immune escape via PD-L1 pathway.ResultsThe expression of α5-nAChR was correlated with PD-L1 expression, smoking status and lower survival of LUAD in vivo. In vitro, the expression of α5-nAChR mediated phosphorylated STAT3 (pSTAT3), Jab1 and PD-L1 expression. STAT3 bound to the Jab1 or PD-L1 promoter and mediated PD-L1 expression. Jab1 stabilized PD-L1 expression in LUAD cells. Furthermore, in primary T cell cocultured system, downregulation of α5-nAChR suppressed the function of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Tregs, enhanced IFN-γ secretion, and increased T cell-mediated killing of LUAD cells. In the Jurkat T cells and LUAD cells coculture assay, inhibition of α5-nAChR increased IL-2 secretion. In tumour xenograft tissues, α5-nAChR expression was related to PD-L1, Jab1, pSTAT3, CD4 and granzyme B expression (GB).ConclusionsOur results suggest that the novel α5-nAChR/STAT3-Jab1-PD-L1 axis is involved in LUAD immune escape, which could lead to potential therapeutic strategies for cancer immunotherapy. Video abstract.

Project description:Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common malignant primary brain tumor with poor prognosis, and currently effective therapeutic strategies are still limited. Although temozolomide (TMZ) is commonly used for GBM therapy and its mechanism was well characterized, while its side effects were required comprehensive investigation. In the present study, we revealed that TMZ-challenged GBM cells strongly suppressed pro-inflammatory cytokines expression in activated periphery blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), which depended on enhanced transcription of CD274 (encoding PD-L1), but not other immune checkpoints, such as CD276, HVEM and galectin-9. Moreover, abundance of membranous PD-L1 was also increased in TMZ-treated GBM cells. When PD-L1 expression was knocked down by short hairpin RNA (shRNA), inhibitory effect of TMZ-treated GBM cells on PBMC became weakened, suggesting that PD-L1 was crucial for immune inhibition capacity of TMZ-treated GBM cells. Additionally, actinomycin D reduced PD-L1 expression in GBM cells after TMZ challenge, indicating that PD-L1 induction occurred at transcriptional level. The immunoblotting results demonstrated that STAT3 signaling was involved in TMZ-mediated PD-L1 induction, and attenuated expression of PD-L1 was observed using STAT3 inhibitor VI or STAT3 shRNA. Finally, the animal study showed that combination of TMZ and PD-1 antibody therapy strongly inhibited tumor growth and achieved the improved survival rate of GBM mice. Accordingly, this study revealed the classical chemotherapy drug TMZ promoted GBM cells immune escape, even TMZ combine with PD-1 antibody treatment not further improve survival ratio of recurrent GBM patients compared with traditional therapy methods, while our animal study provided evidence that combination of TMZ and PD-1 antibody was a promising way to treat GBM, these contradictory results indicate improving the PD-1 antibody delivery efficiency can exert strong combinational therapy outcomes.

Dataset Information

HLA class I loss and PD-L1 expression in lung cancer: impact on T-cell infiltration and immune escape.

Publications

HLA class I loss and PD-L1 expression in lung cancer: impact on T-cell infiltration and immune escape.

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