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Spatially distinct tumor immune microenvironments stratify triple-negative breast cancers
Tina Gruosso, … , Benjamin Haibe-Kains, Morag Park
Tina Gruosso, … , Benjamin Haibe-Kains, Morag Park
Published February 12, 2019
Citation Information: J Clin Invest. 2019;129(4):1785-1800. https://doi.org/10.1172/JCI96313.
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Research Article Oncology

Spatially distinct tumor immune microenvironments stratify triple-negative breast cancers

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Abstract

Understanding the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) promises to be key for optimal cancer therapy, especially in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Integrating spatial resolution of immune cells with laser capture microdissection gene expression profiles, we defined distinct TIME stratification in TNBC, with implications for current therapies including immune checkpoint blockade. TNBCs with an immunoreactive microenvironment exhibited tumoral infiltration of granzyme B+CD8+ T cells (GzmB+CD8+ T cells), a type 1 IFN signature, and elevated expression of multiple immune inhibitory molecules including indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) and programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and resulted in good outcomes. An “immune-cold” microenvironment with an absence of tumoral CD8+ T cells was defined by elevated expression of the immunosuppressive marker B7-H4, signatures of fibrotic stroma, and poor outcomes. A distinct poor-outcome immunomodulatory microenvironment, hitherto poorly characterized, exhibited stromal restriction of CD8+ T cells, stromal expression of PD-L1, and enrichment for signatures of cholesterol biosynthesis. Metasignatures defining these TIME subtypes allowed us to stratify TNBCs, predict outcomes, and identify potential therapeutic targets for TNBC.

Authors

Tina Gruosso, Mathieu Gigoux, Venkata Satya Kumar Manem, Nicholas Bertos, Dongmei Zuo, Irina Perlitch, Sadiq Mehdi Ismail Saleh, Hong Zhao, Margarita Souleimanova, Radia Marie Johnson, Anne Monette, Valentina Muñoz Ramos, Michael Trevor Hallett, John Stagg, Réjean Lapointe, Atilla Omeroglu, Sarkis Meterissian, Laurence Buisseret, Gert Van den Eynden, Roberto Salgado, Marie-Christine Guiot, Benjamin Haibe-Kains, Morag Park

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Figure 11

TIME TNBC subtypes display mutual exclusion and distinct localization of PD-L1 and B7-H4.

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TIME TNBC subtypes display mutual exclusion and distinct localization of...
(A) Representative images of PD-L1 (green), B7-H4 (pink), and DAPI (blue) IHF-stained sections. Scale bars: 10 μm and 20 μm (enlarged insets). (B) Quantification of staining in the tumor epithelial compartment for B7-H4 (pink) and PD-L1 (green) for each patient (n = 35). (C) B7-H4 and PD-L1 quantification after IHF show an inverse correlation in the tumor epithelial compartment. This excludes tumors with less than 1% staining in the epithelial compartment for both markers. Data were analyzed using Spearman’s correlation.

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ISSN: 0021-9738 (print), 1558-8238 (online)

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