Hanghang Li1, Xiang Chen2, Wenjing Zeng3, Weibing Zhou4, Qin Zhou4, Zhan Wang4, Wuzhong Jiang4, Bowen Xie1, Lun-Quan Sun5. 1. Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China. 2. Department of Otolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 3. Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 4. Department of Oncology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. 5. Xiangya Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Key Laboratory of Molecular Radiation Oncology Hunan Province, Changsha, Hunan, China; National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Precision Medicine for Cancer, Changsha, Hunan, China. Electronic address: lunquansun@csu.edu.cn.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Radiation therapy elicits profound alterations in gene expression in tumor cells. This study aims to determine the dynamic changes in the expression of immunity-associated genes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells upon radiation therapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The study was performed using NPC patient-derived tumor xenograft tumors, cell lines, CCR4+ CD8 T cells sorted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy volunteers, and TCGA-derived bulk RNA-seq or single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data sets. Patient-derived tumor xenograft tumors or cell lines were irradiated and collected for bulk RNA sequencing or for CCL22 expression and release detection. Malignant phenotypes and radiosensitivity were assessed in cells with or without overexpression of CCL22 or recombinant CCL22 treatment in the presence or absence of irradiation. TCGA data sets were used for uncovering CCR4 status in subtypes of T cells. CCL22 in supernatants, cell lysates, or serum samples was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: CCL22 was significantly increased in the irradiated patient-derived tumor xenograft tumors, the supernatants and cell lysates collected from irradiated NPC cell lines, and the serum of patients who received radiation therapy. No alterations of malignant phenotypes were found in tumor cells with CCL22 overexpression or recombinant CCL22 treatment. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that CCL22 or its receptor CCR4 positively correlated with cytotoxic T lymphocyte signatures, and high expression of CCL22 or CCR4 was associated with better prognosis for patients with NPC. scRNA-seq data set-based analysis demonstrated that CCR4 was expressed in multiple subtypes of T cells, including effector CD8 T cells. Chemotaxis assay indicated that CCR4+ CD8 T cells could be recruited by CCL22 treatment. CONCLUSION: The radiation-enhanced release of CCL22 from NPC cells promotes migration of CCR4 + effector CD8 T cells, which might partially be associated with radiation therapy-mediated antitumor immunity.
PURPOSE: Radiation therapy elicits profound alterations in gene expression in tumor cells. This study aims to determine the dynamic changes in the expression of immunity-associated genes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells upon radiation therapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The study was performed using NPC patient-derived tumor xenograft tumors, cell lines, CCR4+ CD8 T cells sorted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy volunteers, and TCGA-derived bulk RNA-seq or single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) data sets. Patient-derived tumor xenograft tumors or cell lines were irradiated and collected for bulk RNA sequencing or for CCL22 expression and release detection. Malignant phenotypes and radiosensitivity were assessed in cells with or without overexpression of CCL22 or recombinant CCL22 treatment in the presence or absence of irradiation. TCGA data sets were used for uncovering CCR4 status in subtypes of T cells. CCL22 in supernatants, cell lysates, or serum samples was measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS:CCL22 was significantly increased in the irradiated patient-derived tumor xenograft tumors, the supernatants and cell lysates collected from irradiated NPC cell lines, and the serum of patients who received radiation therapy. No alterations of malignant phenotypes were found in tumor cells with CCL22 overexpression or recombinant CCL22 treatment. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that CCL22 or its receptor CCR4 positively correlated with cytotoxic T lymphocyte signatures, and high expression of CCL22 or CCR4 was associated with better prognosis for patients with NPC. scRNA-seq data set-based analysis demonstrated that CCR4 was expressed in multiple subtypes of T cells, including effector CD8 T cells. Chemotaxis assay indicated that CCR4+ CD8 T cells could be recruited by CCL22 treatment. CONCLUSION: The radiation-enhanced release of CCL22 from NPC cells promotes migration of CCR4 + effector CD8 T cells, which might partially be associated with radiation therapy-mediated antitumor immunity.
Authors: Jason M Zimmerer; Bryce A Ringwald; Sachi R Chaudhari; Jing Han; Chelsea M Peterson; Robert T Warren; Madison M Hart; Mahmoud Abdel-Rasoul; Ginny L Bumgardner Journal: J Immunol Date: 2021-11-22 Impact factor: 5.426