biostudies-literatureUnknown13(9)Srinivas N<h4>Background</h4>The presence of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in solid tumors, including Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), is associated with a better prognosis and a better response to immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI). The detailed mechanisms by which TLS influence antitumor immune responses are only partially understood.<h4>Methods</h4>Clinically annotated tumor tissues of 27 patients with MCC were obtained prior to ICI therapy. Tumor samples were subjected to transcriptomic and multiplex immuno-visual profiling, T-cell receptor (TCR) clonotype mapping, as well as-in selected cases-spatial transcriptomics to comprehensively characterize the tumor immune microenvironment.<h4>Results</h4>Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of transcriptomic data in Journal for immunotherapy of cancere012224https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12458699biostudies-literatureTertiary lymphoid structures in Merkel cell carcinoma facilitate naive and central memory T-cell infiltration linked to immunotherapy response.PMC12458699Pino MJLei KCStoffels IGao JLui WODalkoohi MLeiter UUgurel SGambichler TMohr PSpassova ICheung PFSrinivas NLivingstone EGiglio GEngblom CKitanovski SBecker JCfalseTertiary lymphoid structures in Merkel cell carcinoma facilitate naive and central memory T-cell infiltration linked to immunotherapy response.<h4>Background</h4>The presence of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in solid tumors, including Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC), is associated with a better prognosis and a better response to immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI). The detailed mechanisms by which TLS influence antitumor immune responses are only partially understood.<h4>Methods</h4>Clinically annotated tumor tissues of 27 patients with MCC were obtained prior to ICI therapy. Tumor samples were subjected to transcriptomic and multiplex immuno-visual profiling, T-cell receptor (TCR) clonotype mapping, as well as-in selected cases-spatial transcriptomics to comprehensively characterize the tumor immune microenvironment.<h4>Results</h4>Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of transcriptomic data in 2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Sep2026-06-03T19:36:38.738Z2026-04-30T03:12:24.845ZS-EPMC124586994099278310.1136/jitc-2025-012224