Dataset Information

HPV16 E6-specific T cell response and HLA-A alleles are related to the prognosis of patients with cervical cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

T cell epitopes are polypeptide fragments presented to T cell receptors by MHC molecules encoded by human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes after antigen-presenting cell processing, which is the basis for the study of antigen immune mechanism and multi-epitope vaccine. This study investigated T cell response to HPV16 E6 and E7 in patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC). Also, the HLA-A allele distribution was compared among patients and evaluated as a factor to predict prognosis in these patients.

Materials and methods

This study recruited a total of 76 patients with International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage IIB-IIIB CSCC. Mononuclear cells were isolated from the peripheral blood before any treatment and then enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot (ELISpot) assay was employed to measure the E6 and E7-specific T cell response. HLA-A alleles were typed using Sanger sequencing-based typing techniques with DNA extracted from the peripheral blood. The correlation between the T cell responses, HLA-A allele distribution and patient prognosis were analysed using the Kaplan-Meier method, univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models.

Results

The frequency of HPV E6-specific T cell responses in patients with pelvic lymph node metastasis was lower than that in patients without metastasis (P = 0.022). The 5-year overall survival (OS) rates of patients were 87.5% for those responding to multiple overlapping peptides, 72.7% for those responding to 1-2 overlapping peptides and 47.7% for non-responders (P = 0.032). Cox regression analysis indicated that the presence of HLA*A02:07 was independently associated with worse OS (hazard ratio [HR] 3.042; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.348-6.862; P = 0.007), while concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) was independently associated with better OS (HR 0.475; 95% CI 0.232-0.975; P = 0.042).

Conclusion

The results of our study demonstrated that the level of HPV16 E6-specific T cell response and HLA*A02:07 were correlated with prognosis in patients with advanced CSCC.

SUBMITTER: Cai H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8447512 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Potential correlation of human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 E6 variants and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class II polymorphisms has been suggested in patients with cervical cancer, so far little information is available about the possible interaction between E6 variants and HLA class II variability during the obviously accelerated progression to cervical cancer in young women. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between the HPV16 E6 variants and HLA-DRB1, DQB1 alleles in a Chinese young cervical cancer population. The HLA-DRB1, HLA-DQB1 polymophisms were genotyped by low-resolution polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with sequence-specific primer. HPV16 E6 DNA was tested by Sanger fluorescent dye dideoxy-termination technique. The difference of DRB1, DQB1 polymorphisms between young cervical cancer patients (≤35ys, n=61) and older ones (>35ys, n=85) and the association with E6 variants were analyzed. Results showed that the distribution pattern of HLA-DRB1, DQB1 alleles was different between young cervical cancer patients and older ones. The allele frequency of DQB1*0501 in young patients was significantly lower than older ones (6.6% vs. 23.5%, p<0.05). The HPV16 E6 A4 lineage was the exclusive type observed in young patients, and its prevalence was significantly higher than that of older cases (82.86% vs.41.94%, p<0.05). DRB1*03 was not found in young patients positive for the HPV16 E6 A4 lineage, whereas it was observed in 19.2 % older patients with A4 positive(Pc<0.05). In conclusion, specific association between certain HPV16 E6 variant and genetic polymorphisms of HLA may play a role during the progression of early onset cervical cancer in young patients. Certain HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 alleles may be related to the A4 lineage among young cervical cancer patients, which was the unique HPV16 E6 variant found in Chinese young patients. Our finding may provide an insight into the pathogenic factors that associated with cervical cancer in young women.