The Characterization of Myeloid Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment of Tonsillar Cancer Utilizing Low- and High Plex Fluorescent Panels
(2025) KIMM01 20251Educational programmes, LTH
Department of Immunotechnology
- Abstract
- The immune cell population is essential for understanding the immune system’s reaction against the tumor. This study identified T cells and myeloid cells in human papillomavirus positive and negative tonsillar cancer biopsies via extracellular markers to investigate the biopsies’ composition, cellular neighborhood, and interactions. A detection method for tertiary lymphoid structure was developed. The translatability of a novel transcript-based classification approach for tumor associated macrophages using the extracellular markers secreted phosphoprotein 1 and chemokine ligand 9 was evaluated at the protein level. In addition, previous transcriptomic findings could be validated. These findings further our understanding of myeloid cells in... (More)
- The immune cell population is essential for understanding the immune system’s reaction against the tumor. This study identified T cells and myeloid cells in human papillomavirus positive and negative tonsillar cancer biopsies via extracellular markers to investigate the biopsies’ composition, cellular neighborhood, and interactions. A detection method for tertiary lymphoid structure was developed. The translatability of a novel transcript-based classification approach for tumor associated macrophages using the extracellular markers secreted phosphoprotein 1 and chemokine ligand 9 was evaluated at the protein level. In addition, previous transcriptomic findings could be validated. These findings further our understanding of myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment of tonsillar cancer, although additional studies are needed to obtain robustness and statistical significance. (Less)
- Popular Abstract
- Low-plex immunofluorescent panels and spatial proteomics allow for the detailed characterization of immune cells within their native tissue context. Tonsillar cancer, the most common head and neck cancer, is partly driven by highrisk strains of human papillomavirus. To better understand and treat this cancer, we focused on profiling the tumor microenvironment (TME) —specifically cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and myeloid cells.
Spatial means knowing where things are, while proteomics refers to the study of proteins in a biological system. By staining tissue sections containing proteins specific for certain cell types, e.g., cancer or immune cells, we were able to see exactly which immune cell types interacted with other immune cells or... (More) - Low-plex immunofluorescent panels and spatial proteomics allow for the detailed characterization of immune cells within their native tissue context. Tonsillar cancer, the most common head and neck cancer, is partly driven by highrisk strains of human papillomavirus. To better understand and treat this cancer, we focused on profiling the tumor microenvironment (TME) —specifically cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and myeloid cells.
Spatial means knowing where things are, while proteomics refers to the study of proteins in a biological system. By staining tissue sections containing proteins specific for certain cell types, e.g., cancer or immune cells, we were able to see exactly which immune cell types interacted with other immune cells or with cancer tissue —think of it as the difference between a smoothie and a fruit salad. The salad allows you to see each fruit, its makeup, and you can study which combinations of fruits taste good. Oncological research, which looks at each cell in its spatial context, can generate much more interesting results than if all cells are combined and investigated together —the traditional ”smoothy-like” approach.
This spatial context allowed us to explore the architecture of solid tonsillar tumors in depth, revealing insights that bring us closer to personalized oncology, where treatments are optimized for individual patients, and away from invasive surgeries and harsh systemic therapies like radiation and chemotherapy. We could see that the investigated immune cells form specialized clusters known as tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), sites of high immune activity fully embedded within tumor tissue. Some immune cells are influenced by the tumor and start to act on its behalf. To identify these cells, we investigated a new way to characterize them in a more data-driven approach to see if they act with or against cancer, adding diagnostic value regarding disease progression and survival rate. Additionally, we sought to explore the role of dendritic cells, which initiate the immune response against cancer tissue. Furthermore, we validated previous findings, showing that dendritic cells can be found in similar numbers and distributions in the studied tumor sections.
Traditional diagnostics are based on visual assessments by pathologists, which are subjective and limited. And as immunotherapies increase in use and cost, spatial proteomics —the fruit salad in our analogy —offers a powerful way to identify patients most likely to benefit from these treatments, improving treatment precision while reducing unnecessary side effects and resource use, ultimately improving patients quality of life.
—Welcome to the future of oncology. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9204874
- author
- Roylands, Johannes LU and Krogh-Pedersen, Jason
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- KIMM01 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- language
- English
- id
- 9204874
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-24 14:00:03
- date last changed
- 2025-06-24 14:00:03
@misc{9204874,
abstract = {{The immune cell population is essential for understanding the immune system’s reaction against the tumor. This study identified T cells and myeloid cells in human papillomavirus positive and negative tonsillar cancer biopsies via extracellular markers to investigate the biopsies’ composition, cellular neighborhood, and interactions. A detection method for tertiary lymphoid structure was developed. The translatability of a novel transcript-based classification approach for tumor associated macrophages using the extracellular markers secreted phosphoprotein 1 and chemokine ligand 9 was evaluated at the protein level. In addition, previous transcriptomic findings could be validated. These findings further our understanding of myeloid cells in the tumor microenvironment of tonsillar cancer, although additional studies are needed to obtain robustness and statistical significance.}},
author = {{Roylands, Johannes and Krogh-Pedersen, Jason}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The Characterization of Myeloid Cells in the Tumor Microenvironment of Tonsillar Cancer Utilizing Low- and High Plex Fluorescent Panels}},
year = {{2025}},
}