Molecular subtypes of oropharyngeal cancer show distinct immune microenvironment related with immune checkpoint blockade response.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) exhibits diverse immunological properties; however, their implications for immunotherapy are unknown.

Methods

We analysed 37 surgically resected and nine recurrent or metastatic anti-programmed death-1 (PD-1)/programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1)-treated OPC tumours. OPCs were classified into immune-rich (IR), mesenchymal (MS) and xenobiotic (XB) subtypes based on RNA-sequencing data.

Results

All IR type tumours were human papillomavirus (HPV) positive, most XB types were HPV negative, and MS types showed mixed HPV status. The IR type showed an enriched T cell exhaustion signature with PD-1⁺ CD8⁺ T cells and type I macrophages infiltrating the tumour nest on multiplex immunohistochemistry. The MS type showed an e

SUBMITTER: Kim MH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7251088 | biostudies-literature | 2020 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature