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Expression patterns of novel immunotherapy targets in intermediate- and high-grade lung neuroendocrine neoplasms

Ferencz, Bence ; Török, Klára ; Pipek, Orsolya ; Fillinger, János ; Csende, Kristóf ; Lantos, András ; Černeková, Radoslava ; Mitták, Marcel ; Škarda, Jozef and Delongová, Patricie , et al. (2024) In Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy 73(6).
Abstract

Background: Advancements in immunotherapeutic approaches only had a modest impact on the therapy of lung neuroendocrine neoplasms (LNENs). Our multicenter study aimed to investigate the expression patterns of novel immunotherapy targets in intermediate- and high-grade LNENs. Methods: The expressions of V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), OX40L, Glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor (GITR), and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) proteins were measured by immunohistochemistry in surgically resected tumor samples of 26 atypical carcinoid (AC), 49 large cell neuroendocrine lung cancer (LCNEC), and 66 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Tumor and immune cells were separately scored. Results: Tumor cell TIM3... (More)

Background: Advancements in immunotherapeutic approaches only had a modest impact on the therapy of lung neuroendocrine neoplasms (LNENs). Our multicenter study aimed to investigate the expression patterns of novel immunotherapy targets in intermediate- and high-grade LNENs. Methods: The expressions of V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), OX40L, Glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor (GITR), and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) proteins were measured by immunohistochemistry in surgically resected tumor samples of 26 atypical carcinoid (AC), 49 large cell neuroendocrine lung cancer (LCNEC), and 66 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Tumor and immune cells were separately scored. Results: Tumor cell TIM3 expression was the highest in ACs (p < 0.001), whereas elevated tumor cell GITR levels were characteristic for both ACs and SCLCs (p < 0.001 and p = 0.011, respectively). OX40L expression of tumor cells was considerably lower in ACs (vs. SCLCs; p < 0.001). Tumor cell VISTA expression was consistently low in LNENs, with no significant differences across histological subtypes. ACs were the least immunogenic tumors concerning immune cell abundance (p < 0.001). Immune cell VISTA and GITR expressions were also significantly lower in these intermediate-grade malignancies than in SCLCs or in LCNECs. Immune cell TIM3 and GITR expressions were associated with borderline prognostic significance in our multivariate model (p = 0.057 and p = 0.071, respectively). Conclusions: LNEN subtypes have characteristic and widely divergent VISTA, OX40L, GITR, and TIM3 protein expressions. By shedding light on the different expression patterns of these immunotherapy targets, the current multicenter study provides support for the future implementation of novel immunotherapeutic approaches.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Immune phenotype, Immunohistochemistry, Immunotherapy target, Lung neuroendocrine neoplasm
in
Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy
volume
73
issue
6
article number
114
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • pmid:38693435
  • scopus:85191723943
ISSN
0340-7004
DOI
10.1007/s00262-024-03704-7
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ac7b8ec0-b30c-4481-beeb-1db186ad9dd2
date added to LUP
2024-05-21 11:57:03
date last changed
2024-05-21 11:58:12
@article{ac7b8ec0-b30c-4481-beeb-1db186ad9dd2,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Advancements in immunotherapeutic approaches only had a modest impact on the therapy of lung neuroendocrine neoplasms (LNENs). Our multicenter study aimed to investigate the expression patterns of novel immunotherapy targets in intermediate- and high-grade LNENs. Methods: The expressions of V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), OX40L, Glucocorticoid-induced TNF receptor (GITR), and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3 (TIM3) proteins were measured by immunohistochemistry in surgically resected tumor samples of 26 atypical carcinoid (AC), 49 large cell neuroendocrine lung cancer (LCNEC), and 66 small cell lung cancer (SCLC) patients. Tumor and immune cells were separately scored. Results: Tumor cell TIM3 expression was the highest in ACs (p &lt; 0.001), whereas elevated tumor cell GITR levels were characteristic for both ACs and SCLCs (p &lt; 0.001 and p = 0.011, respectively). OX40L expression of tumor cells was considerably lower in ACs (vs. SCLCs; p &lt; 0.001). Tumor cell VISTA expression was consistently low in LNENs, with no significant differences across histological subtypes. ACs were the least immunogenic tumors concerning immune cell abundance (p &lt; 0.001). Immune cell VISTA and GITR expressions were also significantly lower in these intermediate-grade malignancies than in SCLCs or in LCNECs. Immune cell TIM3 and GITR expressions were associated with borderline prognostic significance in our multivariate model (p = 0.057 and p = 0.071, respectively). Conclusions: LNEN subtypes have characteristic and widely divergent VISTA, OX40L, GITR, and TIM3 protein expressions. By shedding light on the different expression patterns of these immunotherapy targets, the current multicenter study provides support for the future implementation of novel immunotherapeutic approaches.</p>}},
  author       = {{Ferencz, Bence and Török, Klára and Pipek, Orsolya and Fillinger, János and Csende, Kristóf and Lantos, András and Černeková, Radoslava and Mitták, Marcel and Škarda, Jozef and Delongová, Patricie and Megyesfalvi, Evelyn and Schelch, Karin and Lang, Christian and Solta, Anna and Boettiger, Kristiina and Brcic, Luka and Lindenmann, Jörg and Rényi-Vámos, Ferenc and Aigner, Clemens and Berta, Judit and Megyesfalvi, Zsolt and Döme, Balázs}},
  issn         = {{0340-7004}},
  keywords     = {{Immune phenotype; Immunohistochemistry; Immunotherapy target; Lung neuroendocrine neoplasm}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{6}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy}},
  title        = {{Expression patterns of novel immunotherapy targets in intermediate- and high-grade lung neuroendocrine neoplasms}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00262-024-03704-7}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s00262-024-03704-7}},
  volume       = {{73}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}