Distinct patterns of intratumoral immune cell infiltrates in patients with HPV-associated compared to non-virally induced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

0472827 - MBÚ 2017 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Pártlová, S. - Bouček, Jan - Kloudová, K. - Lukešová, E. - Zábrodský, M. - Grega, M. - Fučíková, J. - Truxová, I. - Tachezy, R. - Spíšek, R. - Fialová, A.
Distinct patterns of intratumoral immune cell infiltrates in patients with HPV-associated compared to non-virally induced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
Oncoimmunology. Roč. 4, č. 1 (2015), e965570. ISSN 2162-402X. E-ISSN 2162-402X
R&D Projects: GA MŠMT(CZ) ED1.1.00/02.0109; GA MZd(CZ) NT11542
Institutional support: RVO:61388971
Keywords : CD8(+) T lymphocytes * HNSCC * HPV
Subject RIV: EC - Immunology
Impact factor: 7.644, year: 2015

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is one of the most important etiologic causes of oropharyngeal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Patients with HPV-positive HNSCC were reported to have a better clinical outcome than patients with HPV-negative cancers. However, little is known about the possible causes of different clinical outcomes. In this study, we analyzed a detailed immune profile of tumor samples from HNSCC patients with respect to their HPV status. We analyzed the characteristics of immune cell infiltrates, including the frequency and distribution of antigen-presenting cells and naive, regulatory and effector T cells and the cytokine and chemokine levels in tumor tissue. There was a profound difference in the extent and characteristics of intratumoral immune cell infiltrates in HNSCC patients based on their HPV status. In contrast to HPV-negative tumor tissues, HPV-positive tumor samples showed significantly higher numbers of infiltrating IFN gamma(+) CD8(+) T lymphocytes, IL-17(+) CD8(+) T lymphocytes, myeloid dendritic cells and proinflammatory chemokines. Furthermore, HPV-positive tumors had significantly lower expression of Cox-2 mRNA and higher expression of PD1 mRNA compared to HPV-negative tumors. The presence of a high level of intratumoral immune cell infiltrates might play a crucial role in the significantly better response of HPV-positive patients to standard therapy and their favorable clinical outcome. Furthermore, characterization of the HNSCC immune profile might be a valuable prognostic tool in addition to HPV status and might help identify novel targets for therapeutic strategies, including cancer immunotherapy.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0270051