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The leukocyte complexity and mutational landscape of periampullary adenocarcinoma. Morphology matters.

Lundgren, Sebastian LU (2019) In Lund University, Faculty of Medicine Doctoral Dissertation Series
Abstract
Background: Periampullary adenocarcinomas are a heterogenous group of tumours with poor prognosis that has
not improved considerably the last decades. Tumour morphology, i.e. intestinal type (I-type) or pancreatobiliary
type (PB-type), has been demonstrated to be a more relevant prognostic factor than anatomical origin. Tumour
infiltrating immune cells are vital in shaping the natural progress of cancer. The aim of this thesis was to
characterise the landscape of immune cells and common mutations in the entire spectrum of periampullary
adenocarcinoma, with particular reference to morphology and clinical outcome.
Methods: All studies are based on tumours from a retrospective, consecutive cohort of 175 patients... (More)
Background: Periampullary adenocarcinomas are a heterogenous group of tumours with poor prognosis that has
not improved considerably the last decades. Tumour morphology, i.e. intestinal type (I-type) or pancreatobiliary
type (PB-type), has been demonstrated to be a more relevant prognostic factor than anatomical origin. Tumour
infiltrating immune cells are vital in shaping the natural progress of cancer. The aim of this thesis was to
characterise the landscape of immune cells and common mutations in the entire spectrum of periampullary
adenocarcinoma, with particular reference to morphology and clinical outcome.
Methods: All studies are based on tumours from a retrospective, consecutive cohort of 175 patients with
periampullary adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical resection in Skåne University Hospital between 2001 and
2011. The infiltration of several immune cell populations was analysed by single-marker immunohistochemistry
(Paper I-II) and multiplexed immunofluorescence (Paper IV and V) on tissue microarrays. Targeted next
generation DNA seqencing (Paper III) was applied to analyse mutations in 70 common cancer-associated genes
in tumours from 102 cases.

Results: Paper I shows that high infiltration of natural killer NK/NKT cells was associated with prolonged overall
survival (OS), particularly in patients with I-type tumours. In patients with PB-type tumours, high infiltration of
NK/NKT cell infiltration was only prognostic in cases who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy, and, notably,
there was a significant negative interaction between adjuvant chemotherapy and NK/NKT cell density in relation to
OS. Paper II shows that high infiltration of immature dendritic cells was an independent factor of poor prognosis in
patients with PB-type tymours. High infiltration of CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages was assocated with reduced
OS in the entire cohort, whereas high infiltration of MARCO+ macrophages was a negative prognostic factor only
in patients who recived adjuvant chemotherapy, but there was no signficant treatment interaction. Paper III
demonstrated that APC and ERBB3 mutations were more common in I-type tumours while CDKN2A mutations
were more common in PB-type tumours. KRAS mutations were associated with reduced OS in patients with I-type
tumours. in patients with PB-type tumours, SMARCA4 mutation was a negative prognostic factor in patients not
receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and there was a positive interaction between high expression of BRG1, the
protein encoded by SMARCA4, and adjuvant chemotherapy in relation to OS. Paper IV demonstrates that the
prognostic impact of different lymphocyte subsets, including signatures thereof, differ by morphology, and that
high levels of CD8+ T cells interacting with cancer cells and CD4+ T cells, respectively, were associated with a
prolonged OS. Moreover, immune cell density differed by the mutational status of several genes. Paper V provides
further validation of the beneficial prognostic impact of NK/NKT cells, also in the context of interaction with
macrophages. In addition, several prognostic innate immune cell subsets and signatures were defined, that
differed by tissue compartment and morphology.

Conclusions: The prognostic and potential predictive impact of tumour infiltrating immune cells and common
mutations in periampullary adenocarcinoma differs by morphology, thus highlighting the importance of taking
morphology into account in the quest for complementary biomarkers. Moreover, the prognostic value of tumour
infiltrating immune cells can be futher refined by analyses of their spatial and compartmental distribution. (Less)
Abstract (Swedish)
Background: Periampullary adenocarcinomas are a heterogenous group of tumours with poor prognosis that has
not improved considerably the last decades. Tumour morphology, i.e. intestinal type (I-type) or pancreatobiliary
type (PB-type), has been demonstrated to be a more relevant prognostic factor than anatomical origin. Tumour
infiltrating immune cells are vital in shaping the natural progress of cancer. The aim of this thesis was to
characterise the landscape of immune cells and common mutations in the entire spectrum of periampullary
adenocarcinoma, with particular reference to morphology and clinical outcome.
Methods: All studies are based on tumours from a retrospective, consecutive cohort of 175 patients... (More)
Background: Periampullary adenocarcinomas are a heterogenous group of tumours with poor prognosis that has
not improved considerably the last decades. Tumour morphology, i.e. intestinal type (I-type) or pancreatobiliary
type (PB-type), has been demonstrated to be a more relevant prognostic factor than anatomical origin. Tumour
infiltrating immune cells are vital in shaping the natural progress of cancer. The aim of this thesis was to
characterise the landscape of immune cells and common mutations in the entire spectrum of periampullary
adenocarcinoma, with particular reference to morphology and clinical outcome.
Methods: All studies are based on tumours from a retrospective, consecutive cohort of 175 patients with
periampullary adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical resection in Skåne University Hospital between 2001 and
2011. The infiltration of several immune cell populations was analysed by single-marker immunohistochemistry
(Paper I-II) and multiplexed immunofluorescence (Paper IV and V) on tissue microarrays. Targeted next
generation DNA seqencing (Paper III) was applied to analyse mutations in 70 common cancer-associated genes
in tumours from 102 cases.

Results: Paper I shows that high infiltration of natural killer NK/NKT cells was associated with prolonged overall
survival (OS), particularly in patients with I-type tumours. In patients with PB-type tumours, high infiltration of
NK/NKT cell infiltration was only prognostic in cases who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy, and, notably,
there was a significant negative interaction between adjuvant chemotherapy and NK/NKT cell density in relation to
OS. Paper II shows that high infiltration of immature dendritic cells was an independent factor of poor prognosis in
patients with PB-type tymours. High infiltration of CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages was assocated with reduced
OS in the entire cohort, whereas high infiltration of MARCO+ macrophages was a negative prognostic factor only
in patients who recived adjuvant chemotherapy, but there was no signficant treatment interaction. Paper III
demonstrated that APC and ERBB3 mutations were more common in I-type tumours while CDKN2A mutations
were more common in PB-type tumours. KRAS mutations were associated with reduced OS in patients with I-type
tumours. in patients with PB-type tumours, SMARCA4 mutation was a negative prognostic factor in patients not
receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and there was a positive interaction between high expression of BRG1, the
protein encoded by SMARCA4, and adjuvant chemotherapy in relation to OS. Paper IV demonstrates that the
prognostic impact of different lymphocyte subsets, including signatures thereof, differ by morphology, and that
high levels of CD8+ T cells interacting with cancer cells and CD4+ T cells, respectively, were associated with a
prolonged OS. Moreover, immune cell density differed by the mutational status of several genes. Paper V provides
further validation of the beneficial prognostic impact of NK/NKT cells, also in the context of interaction with
macrophages. In addition, several prognostic innate immune cell subsets and signatures were defined, that
differed by tissue compartment and morphology.

Conclusions: The prognostic and potential predictive impact of tumour infiltrating immune cells and common
mutations in periampullary adenocarcinoma differs by morphology, thus highlighting the importance of taking
morphology into account in the quest for complementary biomarkers. Moreover, the prognostic value of tumour
infiltrating immune cells can be futher refined by analyses of their spatial and compartmental distribution. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
supervisor
opponent
  • professor Svane, Inge Marie, Copenhagen University
organization
publishing date
type
Thesis
publication status
published
subject
keywords
periampullary adenocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, immune microenviroment, prognosis, macrophages, natural killer cells, natural killer T cells, T cells, B cells
in
Lund University, Faculty of Medicine Doctoral Dissertation Series
issue
2019:125
pages
101 pages
publisher
Lund University, Faculty of Medicine
defense location
Onkologiklinikens föreläsningssal, Klinikgatan 5, Skånes Universitetssjukhus i Lund
defense date
2019-12-13 09:15:00
ISSN
1652-8220
ISBN
978-91-7619-854-4
project
The leukocyte complexity and mutational landscape of periampullary adenocarcinoma: morphology matters
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ed889b3e-3fb0-455b-9c97-5ae3e6a562ea
date added to LUP
2019-11-20 10:24:33
date last changed
2019-11-22 15:34:51
@phdthesis{ed889b3e-3fb0-455b-9c97-5ae3e6a562ea,
  abstract     = {{Background: Periampullary adenocarcinomas are a heterogenous group of tumours with poor prognosis that has<br/>not improved considerably the last decades. Tumour morphology, i.e. intestinal type (I-type) or pancreatobiliary<br/>type (PB-type), has been demonstrated to be a more relevant prognostic factor than anatomical origin. Tumour<br/>infiltrating immune cells are vital in shaping the natural progress of cancer. The aim of this thesis was to<br/>characterise the landscape of immune cells and common mutations in the entire spectrum of periampullary<br/>adenocarcinoma, with particular reference to morphology and clinical outcome.<br/>Methods: All studies are based on tumours from a retrospective, consecutive cohort of 175 patients with<br/>periampullary adenocarcinoma who underwent surgical resection in Skåne University Hospital between 2001 and<br/>2011. The infiltration of several immune cell populations was analysed by single-marker immunohistochemistry<br/>(Paper I-II) and multiplexed immunofluorescence (Paper IV and V) on tissue microarrays. Targeted next<br/>generation DNA seqencing (Paper III) was applied to analyse mutations in 70 common cancer-associated genes<br/>in tumours from 102 cases.<br/><br/>Results: Paper I shows that high infiltration of natural killer NK/NKT cells was associated with prolonged overall<br/>survival (OS), particularly in patients with I-type tumours. In patients with PB-type tumours, high infiltration of<br/>NK/NKT cell infiltration was only prognostic in cases who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy, and, notably,<br/>there was a significant negative interaction between adjuvant chemotherapy and NK/NKT cell density in relation to<br/>OS. Paper II shows that high infiltration of immature dendritic cells was an independent factor of poor prognosis in<br/>patients with PB-type tymours. High infiltration of CD68+ and CD163+ macrophages was assocated with reduced<br/>OS in the entire cohort, whereas high infiltration of MARCO+ macrophages was a negative prognostic factor only<br/>in patients who recived adjuvant chemotherapy, but there was no signficant treatment interaction. Paper III<br/>demonstrated that APC and ERBB3 mutations were more common in I-type tumours while CDKN2A mutations<br/>were more common in PB-type tumours. KRAS mutations were associated with reduced OS in patients with I-type<br/>tumours. in patients with PB-type tumours, SMARCA4 mutation was a negative prognostic factor in patients not<br/>receiving adjuvant chemotherapy and there was a positive interaction between high expression of BRG1, the<br/>protein encoded by SMARCA4, and adjuvant chemotherapy in relation to OS. Paper IV demonstrates that the<br/>prognostic impact of different lymphocyte subsets, including signatures thereof, differ by morphology, and that<br/>high levels of CD8+ T cells interacting with cancer cells and CD4+ T cells, respectively, were associated with a<br/>prolonged OS. Moreover, immune cell density differed by the mutational status of several genes. Paper V provides<br/>further validation of the beneficial prognostic impact of NK/NKT cells, also in the context of interaction with<br/>macrophages. In addition, several prognostic innate immune cell subsets and signatures were defined, that<br/>differed by tissue compartment and morphology.<br/><br/>Conclusions: The prognostic and potential predictive impact of tumour infiltrating immune cells and common<br/>mutations in periampullary adenocarcinoma differs by morphology, thus highlighting the importance of taking<br/>morphology into account in the quest for complementary biomarkers. Moreover, the prognostic value of tumour<br/>infiltrating immune cells can be futher refined by analyses of their spatial and compartmental distribution.}},
  author       = {{Lundgren, Sebastian}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-7619-854-4}},
  issn         = {{1652-8220}},
  keywords     = {{periampullary adenocarcinoma; pancreatic cancer; immune microenviroment; prognosis; macrophages; natural killer cells; natural killer T cells; T cells; B cells}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{2019:125}},
  publisher    = {{Lund University, Faculty of Medicine}},
  school       = {{Lund University}},
  series       = {{Lund University, Faculty of Medicine Doctoral Dissertation Series}},
  title        = {{The leukocyte complexity and mutational landscape of periampullary adenocarcinoma. Morphology matters.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/72068158/Sebastian_Lundgren_web.pdf}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}