Whole genome transcriptome profiling identifies TIGIT as a regulator of T cell exhaustion in liver cancer
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ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE137610 | GEO | 2020/12/01
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Immunotherapy has opened hitherto unknown possibilities to treat cancer. Whereas some cancer types (e.g. melanoma) can be efficiently treated, others lack measurable positive effects (e.g. PDAC). Moreover, stratification of responders/non-responders is only possible in some cancer types (e.g. melanoma). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a dismal prognosis, limited treatment options and survival benefit, and represents a potential cancer entity for successful immunotherapy. Here, we investigated NASH-triggered HCC in the context PD-1-targeted immunotherapy. Using flow cytometry, single cell RNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry and mass spectrometric analyses, we found a progressive increase of CD8+PD-1+ effector T-cells with a unique profile of exhaustion and activation markers rising with murine and human NASH severity. Notably, late-stage HCC treatment with PD-1-targeted immunotherapy enhanced hepatic carcinogenesis in mice. Dissecting potential mechanisms of action during tumor-initiation and -progression we analyzed the effects of PD-1-targeted immunotherapy at HCC initiation. PD-1-targeted immunotherapy induced a pro-tumorigenic environment, enhanced necro-inflammation and increased NAFLD-activation score (NAS), leading to increased liver cancer incidence, tumor number and nodule size. In contrast, anti-CD8 or anti-CD8/anti-NK1.1 treatment reduced NAS and abrogated the development of liver cancer, thus identifying CD8+PD-1+ T-cells as drivers of liver cancer in NASH-triggered HCC. Increased apoptotic signaling, STAT3 phosphorylation and hepatic proliferation were detected in intra-tumoral liver tissue upon PD-1-targeted immunotherapy. In line, PD-1-/- mice challenged with a NASH diet displayed early onset of hepatocarcinogenesis, corroborating the pro-tumorigenic role of absent or reduced PD-1. Mechanistically PD-1-targeted immunotherapy mainly affected hepatic abundance of CD8+PD-1+ T-cells, instead of altering the quality of Tox+CXCR6+ expressing CD8+PD-1+TNF+CD39+Gzmb+ T-cells found in NASH livers, leading to an aggressive, pro-tumorigenic liver environment. Single-cell mapping of human NASH-, borderline NASH- or unaffected livers corroborated our preclinical NASH results. Moreover, in human NASH livers a correlation of hepatic CD8+, PD-1+, TNF+ T-cells with fibrosis and NASH severity was observed. Accordingly, HCC patients with NASH etiology display a sharp increase in intra- and peri-tumoral CD8+ PD-1+ T-cells. In a cohort of 65 patients recruited across 6 centers in Germany and Austria, patients with NAFLD/NASH-driven HCC responded worse to PD-1-targeted immunotherapy by Nivolumab or Pembrolizumab compared to non-NAFLD patients. This resulted in significant reduced overall survival, in trends of faster disease progression and reduced progression free survival. Histological analysis of livers derived from HCC patients treated with PD-1-targeted immunotherapy displayed high levels of intra and peri-tumoral CD8+ PD-1+ T-cells and Ki67+ hepatocytes. Taken together, these data indicate that PD-1-targeted immunotherapy induces immune-related adverse effects in NAFLD/NASH-driven HCC through CD8+PD-1+ T-cells. Our data call for stratification of HCC patients subjected to PD-1-targeted immunotherapy, with NAFLD being a negative predictor.
2021-03-03 | PXD017236 | Pride
Project description:CD8+ T cells in chronic viral infections like HIV develop functional defects such as loss of IL-2 secretion and decreased proliferative potential that are collectively termed exhaustion1. Exhausted T cells express increased levels of multiple inhibitory receptors, such as Programmed Death 1 (PD-1). PD-1 inhibition contributes to impaired virus-specific T cell function in chronic infection because antibody-mediated blockade of its ligand, Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) is sufficient to improve T cell function and reduce viral replication in animal models. Reversing PD-1 inhibition is therefore an attractive therapeutic target, but the cellular mechanisms by which PD-1 ligation results in T cell inhibition are not fully understood. PD-1 is thought to limit T cell activation by attenuating T cell receptor (TCR) signaling. It is not known whether PD-1 ligation also acts by upregulating genes in exhausted T cells that impair their function. Here, we analyzed gene-expression profiles from HIV-specific CD8+ T cells in patients with HIV and show that PD-1 coordinately upregulates a program of genes in exhausted CD8+ T cells from humans and mice. This program includes upregulation of basic leucine transcription factor, ATF-like (BATF), a transcription factor in the AP-1 family. Enforced expression of BATF was sufficient to impair T cell proliferation and cytokine secretion, while BATF knockdown reduced PD-1 inhibition. Silencing BATF in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from chronic viremic patients rescued HIV-specific T cell function. Thus inhibitory receptors can cause T cell exhaustion by upregulating genes â such as BATF â that inhibit T cell function. We sorted HIV-specific CD8+ T cells from 18 progressors and 24 controllers, cohorts with a two-log difference in mean viral load
2010-10-03 | E-GEOD-24081 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:CD8+ T cells in chronic viral infections like HIV develop functional defects such as loss of IL-2 secretion and decreased proliferative potential that are collectively termed exhaustion1. Exhausted T cells express increased levels of multiple inhibitory receptors, such as Programmed Death 1 (PD-1). PD-1 inhibition contributes to impaired virus-specific T cell function in chronic infection because antibody-mediated blockade of its ligand, Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) is sufficient to improve T cell function and reduce viral replication in animal models. Reversing PD-1 inhibition is therefore an attractive therapeutic target, but the cellular mechanisms by which PD-1 ligation results in T cell inhibition are not fully understood. PD-1 is thought to limit T cell activation by attenuating T cell receptor (TCR) signaling. It is not known whether PD-1 ligation also acts by upregulating genes in exhausted T cells that impair their function. Here, we analyzed gene-expression profiles from HIV-specific CD8+ T cells in patients with HIV and show that PD-1 coordinately upregulates a program of genes in exhausted CD8+ T cells from humans and mice. This program includes upregulation of basic leucine transcription factor, ATF-like (BATF), a transcription factor in the AP-1 family. Enforced expression of BATF was sufficient to impair T cell proliferation and cytokine secretion, while BATF knockdown reduced PD-1 inhibition. Silencing BATF in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells from chronic viremic patients rescued HIV-specific T cell function. Thus inhibitory receptors can cause T cell exhaustion by upregulating genes â such as BATF â that inhibit T cell function. PD-1 expressing Jurkat cells were cultured for 18 hours with beads coated with antibodies to CD3 and CD28, with our without an antibody to PD-1.
2010-10-03 | E-GEOD-24026 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:Although understanding of T-cell exhaustion is widely based on mouse models, its analysis in cancer patients could provide clues indicating tumor sensitivity to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Data suggests a role for costimulatory pathways, particularly CD28, in exhausted T-cell responsiveness to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. Here, we used single-cell transcriptomic, phenotypic, and functional approaches to dissect the relation between CD8+ T-cell exhaustion, CD28 costimulation, and tumor specificity in head and neck, cervical, and ovarian cancers. We found that memory tumor-specific CD8+ T cells, but not bystander cells, sequentially express immune checkpoints once they infiltrate tumors leading, in situ, to a functionally exhausted population. Exhausted T cells were nonetheless endowed with effector and tumor residency potential but exhibited loss of the costimulatory receptor CD28 in comparison to their circulating memory counterparts. Accordingly, PD-1 inhibition improved proliferation of circulating tumor-specific CD8 T cells and reversed functional exhaustion of specific T cells at tumor sites. In agreement with their tumor specificity, high infiltration of tumors by exhausted cells was predictive of response to therapy and survival in ICB-treated head and neck cancer patients. Our results showed that PD-1 blockade–mediated proliferation/reinvigoration of circulating memory T cells and local reversion of exhaustion occur concurrently to control tumors.
2020-05-01 | GSE148162 | GEO
Project description:Background and Aims: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the leading cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is a serious health problem in China, East Asia, and North African countries. Effective treatment of HBV-related HCC is currently unavailable. This study evaluated the therapeutic potential of TIGIT blockade in HBV-related HCC. Approach and Results: A mouse model of spontaneous HBV-related HCC was generated by replacing wild-type hepatocytes with HBsAg+ hepatocytes (namely HBs-HepR mice). The tumors in HBs-HepR mice were inflammation-associated HCC, similar to HBV-related HCC in patients, which was distinguished from other HCC mouse models, such as diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC, Tak1-knockout-induced HCC, HCC in stelic animal model (STAM), or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-induced HCC. HCC in HBs-HepR mice was characterized by an increased number of CD8+T cells whereas the production of IL-2, TNF-α, and IFN-γ by intrahepatic CD8+T cells was decreased. Increased expression of TIGIT on CD8+T cells was responsible for functional exhaustion. The therapeutic effect of TIGIT blockade was investigated at the early and middle stages of HCC progression in HBs-HepR mice. TIGIT blockade reinvigorated intrahepatic CD8+T cells with increased TNF-α and IFN-γ production and an increased number of CD8+T cells in tumors, thereby slowing the development of HCC in HBs-HepR mice. Blocking PD-L1 did not show direct therapeutic effects or synergize with TIGIT blockade. Conclusions: Blockade of TIGIT alone enhanced the anti-tumor activity of CD8+T cells during the progression of HBV-related HCC in a spontaneous HCC mouse model.
2022-12-31 | GSE209856 | GEO
Project description:Persistent exposure to antigen leads to T cell exhaustion and immunologic dysfunction. We examined the immune exhaustion markers TIGIT and PD-1 in HIV-infected and healthy individuals and the relationship with cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocyte (CTL) activity. Frequencies of TIGIT but not PD-1 positively correlated with CTL activity in HIV-aviremic and healthy individuals; however, there was no correlation in HIV-viremic individuals. Transcriptome analyses revealed upregulation of genes associated with antiviral immunity in TIGIT+ versus TIGIT-CD8+ T cells. Our data suggest that TIGIT+CD8+ T cells do not necessarily represent a state of immune exhaustion and maintain an intrinsic cytotoxicity in HIV-infected individuals.
2021-03-31 | GSE171172 | GEO
Project description:Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has dismal treatment responses to systemic therapies and is caused by both, viral and non-viral etiologies, including non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) 1–5. NASH - triggered by high caloric intake and sedentary lifestyle - has become an important driver for HCC development. Immunotherapy has been recently approved for HCC but stratification of responders versus non-responders has remained an unmet need 5–8. Here, we found a progressive accumulation of non-classical activated CD8+PD-1+ T-cells in livers of NASH-affected patients and mice. PD-L1/PD-1-targeted immunotherapy of NASH-induced HCC administered either at cancer-initiation or after cancer-establishment lacked beneficial effects in mice. On the contrary, PD-1-targeted immunotherapy drove hepatic necro-inflammation and increased liver cancer incidence, tumor number, and nodule size. Anti-CD8 or anti-CD8/anti-NK1.1 treatment suppressed liver cancer development, implicating CD8+ T-cells as liver cancer drivers in the context of NASH. In line, PD-1-/- mice challenged with a NASH-inducing diet displayed early-onset of liver cancer. Mechanistically, PD-1-targeted immunotherapy triggered necro-inflammation and a pro-tumorigenic environment in the context of NASH, increasing the abundance of hepatic TOX+CXCR6+ expressing CD8+PD-1+ TNF+ T-cells. Anti-CD8/anti-PD-1 or anti-TNF/anti-PD-1, but not anti-CD4/anti-PD-1 treatment reverted anti-PD1 treatment-related increase of liver inflammation, NASH severity and tumorigenesis. Gene expression profile and increased abundance of murine hepatic CD8+PD-1+ T-cells were corroborated in human CD8+PD-1+ T cells derived from NASH patients. In a meta-analysis of clinical trials testing PD-1-targeting immune checkpoint inhibitors alone (i.e. pembrolizumab) or in combination in 1656 patients with advanced HCC, immunotherapy was not favorable over to control treatment in non-viral- when compared to viral-related HCC. Similarly, in two clinical cohorts tested, patients with NASH-driven HCC had a significantly worse overall survival with PD-1-targeted immunotherapy than HCC patients with other etiologies. Our data identify non-viral etiologies, particularly NASH, as potentially non-responsive in the context of HCC immunotherapy, providing a strong rational basis for patient stratification.
2020-10-24 | GSE159977 | GEO
Project description:Whereas some cancer types (e.g. melanoma) can be efficiently treated with immunotherapy, others lack measurable positive effects (e.g. PDAC ). Moreover, stratification of responders/non-responders is only possible in some cancer types (e.g. melanoma). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a dismal prognosis, limited treatment options and survival benefit, and represents a potential cancer entity for successful immunotherapy. Here, we investigated NASH -triggered HCC in the context PD-1-targeted immunotherapy. Using flow cytometry, single cell RNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry and mass spectrometric analyses, we found a progressive increase of CD8+PD-1+ effector T-cells with a unique profile of exhaustion and activation markers rising with murine and human NASH severity. Notably, late-stage HCC treatment with PD-1-targeted immunotherapy enhanced hepatic carcinogenesis in mice. To dissect potential mechanisms of action during tumor-initiation and -progression we analyzed the effects of PD-1-targeted immunotherapy at HCC initiation. Anti-PD-1 treatment induced a pro-tumorigenic environment, enhanced necro-inflammation and increased NAFLD -activation score (NAS), leading to increased liver cancer incidence, tumor number and nodule size. In contrast, anti-CD8 treatment reduced NAS and abrogated the development of liver cancer, thus identifying CD8+PD-1+ T-cells as drivers of liver cancer in NASH-triggered HCC. Increased apoptotic signaling, STAT3 phosphorylation and hepatic proliferation were detected in intra-tumoral liver tissue upon PD-1-targeted immunotherapy. In line, PD-1-/- mice challenged with a NASH diet displayed early onset of hepatocarcinogenesis, corroborating the pro-tumorigenic role of absent or reduced PD-1. Mechanistically PD-1-targeted immunotherapy increased hepatic abundance of CD8+PD-1+Tox+CXCR6+CD8+PD-1+TNF+CD39+Gzmb+ T cells found in NASH livers, creating a pro-tumorigenic liver environment .
2021-01-19 | GSE144635 | GEO
Project description:The growing tumor avoids recognition and destruction by immune system. During continuous stimulation of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) by tumor, TILs become functionally exhausted. Thus, they become unable to kill tumor cells and to produce some cytokines, and lose their ability to proliferate. It collectively results in the immune escape of cancer cells. Here, we show that breast cancer cells expressing PD-L1 can accelerate exhaustion of persistently activated human effector CD4+ T cells, manifesting in high PD-1 and PD-L1 expression level on cell surface, decreased glucose metabolism genes, strong downregulation of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex subunits and p21 cell cycle inhibitor upregulation. This results in inhibition of T cell proliferation and reduction of T cells number. The RNAseq analysis on exhausted CD4+ T cells indicated strong overexpression of IDO1 and genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. The PD-L1 overexpression was also observed in CD4+ T cells after co-cultivation with other cell line overexpressing PD-L1 that suggested the existence of general mechanism of CD4+ T cell exhaustion induced by cancer cells. The ChIP analysis on PD-L1 promoter region indicated that the strong BRM recruitment in control CD4+ T cells is replaced by BRG1 and EZH2 in CD4+ T cells strongly exhausted by cancer cells. These findings suggest that such epi-drugs as EZH2 inhibitors may be used as immunomodulators in cancer treatment.
2022-02-17 | PXD026447 | Pride
Project description:Chronic viral infections are characterized by a state of CD8 T cell dysfunction termed exhaustion. A better understanding of the mechanisms that regulate CD8 T cell responses during chronic infection is required to improve immunotherapies that restore function in exhausted CD8 T cells. Here we identify a novel population of virus-specific CD8 T cells with a T follicular helper (Tfh)-like signature in mice chronically infected with lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV). These Tfh-like CD8 T cells expressed the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) inhibitory receptor but at the same time also expressed co-stimulatory molecules and had a gene signature that was related to CD8 T cell memory precursor cells and hematopoietic stem cells (HSC). These Tfh-like CD8 T cells acted as stem cells during chronic infection undergoing self-renewal and also differentiating into the terminally exhausted CD8 T cells that were present in both lymphoid and non-lymphoid tissues. The Tfh-like CD8 T cells were found only in lymphoid tissues and resided predominantly in the T cell zones along with naïve CD8 T cells. Interestingly, the proliferative burst after PD-1 blockade came almost exclusively from this Tfh-like CD8 T cell subset. Importantly, the transcription factor TCF1 played a cell intrinsic and essential role in the generation of Tfh-like CD8 T cells. Taken together, our study identifies Tfh-like CD8 T cells as the critical subset for maintaining the pool of virus-specific CD8 T cells during chronic infection and as the cells that proliferate after PD-1 blockade. These findings provide a better understanding of T cell exhaustion and have implications towards optimizing PD-1 directed immunotherapy. 8 samples isolated from CD8 T-cells in LCMV clone 13 GK1.5 infected mice (2 naïve, 3 CXCR5+Tim3-, 3 CXCR5-Tim3+) cells were analyzed
2016-08-02 | E-GEOD-84105 | biostudies-arrayexpress