Search Tips

PD-1-targeted immunotherapy in NASH-triggered liver cancer induces pro-tumorigenic environment through CD8+PD-1+ T-cells

UID: 10665

Description
Summary from the GEO: "Whereas some cancer types (e.g. melanoma) can be efficiently treated with immunotherapy, others lack measurable positive effects (e.g. PDAC ). Moreover, stratification of responders/non-responders is only possible in some cancer types (e.g. melanoma). Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a dismal prognosis, limited treatment options and survival benefit, and represents a potential cancer entity for successful immunotherapy. Here, we investigated NASH -triggered HCC in the context PD-1-targeted immunotherapy. Using flow cytometry, single cell RNA sequencing, immunohistochemistry and mass spectrometric analyses, we found a progressive increase of CD8+PD-1+ effector T-cells with a unique profile of exhaustion and activation markers rising with murine and human NASH severity. Notably, late-stage HCC treatment with PD-1-targeted immunotherapy enhanced hepatic carcinogenesis in mice. To dissect potential mechanisms of action during tumor-initiation and -progression we analyzed the effects of PD-1-targeted immunotherapy at HCC initiation. Anti-PD-1 treatment induced a pro-tumorigenic environment, enhanced necro-inflammation and increased NAFLD -activation score (NAS), leading to increased liver cancer incidence, tumor number and nodule size. In contrast, anti-CD8 treatment reduced NAS and abrogated the development of liver cancer, thus identifying CD8+PD-1+ T-cells as drivers of liver cancer in NASH-triggered HCC. Increased apoptotic signaling, STAT3 phosphorylation and hepatic proliferation were detected in intra-tumoral liver tissue upon PD-1-targeted immunotherapy. In line, PD-1-/- mice challenged with a NASH diet displayed early onset of hepatocarcinogenesis, corroborating the pro-tumorigenic role of absent or reduced PD-1. Mechanistically PD-1-targeted immunotherapy increased hepatic abundance of CD8+PD-1+Tox+CXCR6+CD8+PD-1+TNF+CD39+Gzmb+ T cells found in NASH livers, creating a pro-tumorigenic liver environment."
Subject of Study
Subject(s)
OncoTree Cancer Type(s)
Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Access via GEO

Plain Text Data of expression profiling by high throughput sequencing
Accession #: GSE144635

Access via SRA

RNA Sequence reads for 37 samples
Accession #: SRP246364

Access via BioProject

Additional information about overall initiative.
Accession #: PRJNA604245

Access Restrictions
Free to All
Access Instructions
The NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus, SRA, and BioProject databases provide open access to these files.
Associated Publications
Data Type
Equipment Used
Software Used
SRA Toolkit
Dataset Format(s)
Plain Text, SRA, TAR
Data Tool(s)
RNA Seq
Dataset Size
20 MB (TAR of TXT), 13.57 (SRA)
Data Catalog Record Updated
2023-12-07