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OX40, PD-1 and CTLA-4 are selectively expressed on tumor-infiltrating T cells in head and neck cancer.

ABSTRACT: The tumor microenvironment of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) has been shown to be immune suppressive. Therefore, strategies aimed at overcoming this issue could have a positive therapeutic impact. Hence, we investigated the expression of the known immune-modulatory proteins OX40, programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) in SCCHN on different T-cell subsets of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) to ascertain whether these proteins could potentially be targeted alone or in combination for future clinical trials. T cells from peripheral blood (PBL) and tumor were analyzed for the expression of OX40, PD-1 and CTLA-4 in 29 patients undergoing surgery. These proteins were all expressed significantly higher in T-cell subsets isolated from tumors compared with PBL of the same patient. OX40 expression was significantly greater in the TIL regulatory T-cell (Treg) population relative to conventional CD4 and CD8 TIL or the Treg isolated from PBL. PD-1 expression was increased in all T-cell subsets relative to PBL. CTLA-4 was also increased in all TIL subsets relative to blood, and similar to OX40, its highest level of expression was observed in the Treg TIL. The highest frequency of PD-1, CTLA-4 and OX40 triple-positive cells were found in the Treg population isolated from the tumor. We analyzed both human papilloma virus-positive and -negative patients and found similar levels and expression patterns of these two patient populations for all three proteins. These data suggest that there may be therapeutic advantages of targeting these pathways independently or in combination for patients with this disease.

SUBMITTER: Montler R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4855266 | biostudies-other | 2016 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-other

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Project description:High levels of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in the tumor microenvironment (TME) are associated with a survival benefit in various cancer types and the targeted (re)activation of TILs is an attractive therapeutic anti-cancer approach that yields curative responses. However, current T cell targeting strategies directed at known immune checkpoints have not increased objective response rates for all cancer types, including for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). For this reason, the identification of new immune checkpoints that regulate T cell immunity remains of great interest. One yet largely uninvestigated checkpoint of potential interest is the G protein-coupled receptor 56 (GPR56), which belongs to the adhesion GPCR family. GPR56 was originally reported to function in cerebral cortical development and in anti-depressant response, but also in cancer. Recently, GPR56 was identified as an inhibitory receptor expressed on human NK cells that by cis-interaction with the tetraspanin CD81 attenuated the cytotoxic activity of NK cells. This NK cell checkpoint could be blocked by an GPR56 antibody, leading to increased cytotoxicity. Interestingly, GPR56 expression has also been reported on cytokine producing memory CD8 T lymphocytes and may thus represent a T cell checkpoint as well. Here, GPR56 mRNA expression was characterized in the context of TILs, with GPR56 expression being detected predominantly in tumor infiltrating CD8 T cells with a cytotoxic and (pre-)exhausted phenotype. In accordance with this mRNA profile, TILs from ovarian cancer patients expressed GPR56 primarily within the effector memory and central memory T cell subsets. On T cells from healthy donors the expression was limited to effector memory and terminally differentiated T cells. Notably, GPR56 expression further increased on TILs upon T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated stimulation in co-cultures with cancer cells, whereas GPR56 expression on healthy primary human T cells did not. Further, the ectopic expression of GPR56 significantly reduced the migration of GPR56-positive T cells. Taken together, GPR56 is a potential immune-checkpoint in EOC found on (pre-)exhausted CD8 TILs that may regulate migratory behavior.

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OX40, PD-1 and CTLA-4 are selectively expressed on tumor-infiltrating T cells in head and neck cancer.

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