Cited 41 times since 2018 (6.1 per year) source: EuropePMC Clinical cancer research : an official journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, Volume 25, Issue 1, 17 3 2018, Pages 240-252 The Anatomical Location Shapes the Immune Infiltrate in Tumors of Same Etiology and Affects Survival. Santegoets SJ, van Ham VJ, Ehsan I, Charoentong P, Duurland CL, van Unen V, Höllt T, van der Velden LA, van Egmond SL, Kortekaas KE, de Vos van Steenwijk PJ, van Poelgeest MIE, Welters MJP, van der Burg SH
Purpose
The tumor immune microenvironment determines clinical outcome. Whether the original tissue in which a primary tumor develops influences this microenvironment is not well understood.
Experimental design
We applied high-dimensional single-cell mass cytometry [Cytometry by Time-Of-Flight (CyTOF)] analysis and functional studies to analyze immune cell populations in human papillomavirus (HPV)-induced primary tumors of the cervix (cervical carcinoma) and oropharynx (oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, OPSCC).
Results
Despite the same etiology of these tumors, the composition and functionality of their lymphocytic infiltrate substantially differed. Cervical carcinoma displayed a 3-fold lower CD4:CD8 ratio and contained more activated CD8+CD103+CD161+ effector T cells and less CD4+CD161+ effector memory T cells than OPSCC. CD161+ effector cells produced the highest cytokine levels among tumor-specific T cells. Differences in CD4+ T-cell infiltration between cervical carcinoma and OPSCC were reflected in the detection rate of intratumoral HPV-specific CD4+ T cells and in their impact on OPSCC and cervical carcinoma survival. The peripheral blood mononuclear cell composition of these patients, however, was similar.
Conclusions
The tissue of origin significantly affects the overall shape of the immune infiltrate in primary tumors.
