CD66b-CD64dimCD115- cells in the human bone marrow represent neutrophil-committed progenitors.

Here we report the identification of human CD66b-CD64dimCD115- neutrophil-committed progenitor cells (NCPs) within the SSCloCD45dimCD34+ and CD34dim/- subsets in the bone marrow. NCPs were either CD45RA+ or CD45RA-, and in vitro experiments showed that CD45RA acquisition was not mandatory for their maturation process. NCPs exclusively generated human CD66b+ neutrophils in both in vitro differentiation and in vivo adoptive transfer experiments. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis indicated NCPs fell into four clusters, characterized by different maturation stages and distributed along two differentiation routes. One of the clusters was characterized by an interferon-stimulated gene signature, consistent with the reported expansion of peripheral mature neutrophil subsets that express interferon-stimulated genes in diseased individuals. Finally, comparison of transcriptomic and phenotypic profiles indicated NCPs represented earlier neutrophil precursors than the previously described early neutrophil progenitors (eNePs), proNeus and COVID-19 proNeus. Altogether, our data shed light on the very early phases of neutrophil ontogeny.

Expression of the membrane tetraspanin claudin 18 on cancer cells promotes T lymphocyte infiltration and antitumor immunity in pancreatic cancer.

Tumors weakly infiltrated by T lymphocytes poorly respond to immunotherapy. We aimed to unveil malignancy-associated programs regulating T cell entrance, arrest, and activation in the tumor environment. Differential expression of cell adhesion and tissue architecture programs, particularly the presence of the membrane tetraspanin claudin (CLDN)18 as a signature gene, demarcated immune-infiltrated from immune-depleted mouse pancreatic tumors. In human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and non-small cell lung cancer, CLDN18 expression positively correlated with more differentiated histology and favorable prognosis. CLDN18 on the cell surface promoted accrual of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), facilitating direct CTL contacts with tumor cells by driving the mobilization of the adhesion protein ALCAM to the lipid rafts of the tumor cell membrane through actin. This process favored the formation of robust immunological synapses (ISs) between CTLs and CLDN18-positive cancer cells, resulting in increased T cell activation. Our data reveal an immune role for CLDN18 in orchestrating T cell infiltration and shaping the tumor immune contexture.

A Relay Pathway between Arginine and Tryptophan Metabolism Confers Immunosuppressive Properties on Dendritic Cells.

Arginase 1 (Arg1) and indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) are immunoregulatory enzymes catalyzing the degradation of l-arginine and l-tryptophan, respectively, resulting in local amino acid deprivation. In addition, unlike Arg1, IDO1 is also endowed with non-enzymatic signaling activity in dendritic cells (DCs). Despite considerable knowledge of their individual biology, no integrated functions of Arg1 and IDO1 have been reported yet. We found that IDO1 phosphorylation and consequent activation of IDO1 signaling in DCs was strictly dependent on prior expression of Arg1 and Arg1-dependent production of polyamines. Polyamines, either produced by DCs or released by bystander Arg1+ myeloid-derived suppressor cells, conditioned DCs toward an IDO1-dependent, immunosuppressive phenotype via activation of the Src kinase, which has IDO1-phosphorylating activity. Thus our data indicate that Arg1 and IDO1 are linked by an entwined pathway in immunometabolism and that their joint modulation could represent an important target for effective immunotherapy in several disease settings.

GateMeClass: Gate Mining and Classification of cytometry data.

MOTIVATION: Cytometry comprises powerful techniques for analyzing the cell heterogeneity of a biological sample by examining the expression of protein markers. These technologies impact especially the field of oncoimmunology, where cell identification is essential to analyze the tumor microenvironment. Several classification tools have been developed for the annotation of cytometry datasets, which include supervised tools that require a training set as a reference (i.e. reference-based) and semisupervised tools based on the manual definition of a marker table. The latter is closer to the traditional annotation of cytometry data based on manual gating. However, they require the manual definition of a marker table that cannot be extracted automatically in a reference-based fashion. Therefore, we are lacking methods that allow both classification approaches while maintaining the high biological interpretability given by the marker table. RESULTS: We present a new tool called GateMeClass (Gate Mining and Classification) which overcomes the limitation of the current methods of classification of cytometry data allowing both semisupervised and supervised annotation based on a marker table that can be defined manually or extracted from an external annotated dataset. We measured the accuracy of GateMeClass for annotating three well-established benchmark mass cytometry datasets and one flow cytometry dataset. The performance of GateMeClass is comparable to reference-based methods and marker table-based techniques, offering greater flexibility and rapid execution times. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION: GateMeClass is implemented in R language and is publicly available at https://github.com/simo1c/GateMeClass.

Axon guidance cue SEMA3A promotes the aggressive phenotype of basal-like PDAC.

OBJECTIVE: The dysregulation of the axon guidance pathway is common in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), yet our understanding of its biological relevance is limited. Here, we investigated the functional role of the axon guidance cue SEMA3A in supporting PDAC progression. DESIGN: We integrated bulk and single-cell transcriptomic datasets of human PDAC with in situ hybridisation analyses of patients' tissues to evaluate SEMA3A expression in molecular subtypes of PDAC. Gain and loss of function experiments in PDAC cell lines and organoids were performed to dissect how SEMA3A contributes to define a biologically aggressive phenotype. RESULTS: In PDAC tissues, SEMA3A is expressed by stromal elements and selectively enriched in basal-like/squamous epithelial cells. Accordingly, expression of SEMA3A in PDAC cells is induced by both cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic determinants of the basal-like phenotype. In vitro, SEMA3A promotes cell migration as well as anoikis resistance. At the molecular level, these phenotypes are associated with increased focal adhesion kinase signalling through canonical SEMA3A-NRP1 axis. SEMA3A provides mouse PDAC cells with greater metastatic competence and favours intratumoural infiltration of tumour-associated macrophages and reduced density of T cells. Mechanistically, SEMA3A functions as chemoattractant for macrophages and skews their polarisation towards an M2-like phenotype. In SEMA3Ahigh tumours, depletion of macrophages results in greater intratumour infiltration by CD8+T cells and better control of the disease from antitumour treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Here, we show that SEMA3A is a stress-sensitive locus that promotes the malignant phenotype of basal-like PDAC through both cell-intrinsic and cell-extrinsic mechanisms.

CXCR1/2 dual-inhibitor ladarixin reduces tumour burden and promotes immunotherapy response in pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly lethal malignancy with few therapeutic options available. Despite immunotherapy has revolutionised cancer treatment, the results obtained in PDAC are still disappointing. Emerging evidence suggests that chemokines/CXCRs-axis plays a pivotal role in immune tumour microenvironment modulation, which may influence immunotherapy responsiveness. Here, we evaluated the effectiveness of CXCR1/2 inhibitor ladarixin, alone or in combination with anti-PD-1, against immunosuppression in PDAC. METHODS: A set of preclinical models was obtained by engrafting mouse PDAC-derived cells into syngeneic immune-competent mice, as well as by orthotopically transplanting patient-derived PDAC tumour into human immune-system-reconstituted (HIR) mice (HuCD34-NSG-mice). Tumour-bearing mice were randomly assigned to receive vehicles, ladarixin, anti-PD-1 or drugs combination. RESULTS: CXCR1/2 inhibition by ladarixin reverted in vitro tumour-mediated M2 macrophages polarisation and migration. Ladarixin as single agent reduced tumour burden in cancer-derived graft (CDG) models with high-immunogenic potential and increased the efficacy of ICI in non-immunogenic CDG-resistant models. In a HIR mouse model bearing the immunogenic subtype of human PDAC, ladarixin showed high efficacy increasing the antitumor effect of anti-PD-1. CONCLUSION: Ladarixin in combination with anti-PD-1 might represent an extremely effective approach for the treatment of immunotherapy refractory PDAC, allowing pro-tumoral to immune-permissive microenvironment conversion.

Talniflumate abrogates mucin immune suppressive barrier improving efficacy of gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel treatment in pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal disease. This is due to its aggressive course, late diagnosis and its intrinsic drugs resistance. The complexity of the tumor, in terms of cell components and heterogeneity, has led to the approval of few therapies with limited efficacy. The study of the early stages of carcinogenesis provides the opportunity for the identification of actionable pathways that underpin therapeutic resistance. METHODS: We analyzed 43 Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) (12 Low-grade and 31 High-grade) by Spatial Transcriptomics. Mouse and human pancreatic cancer organoids and T cells interaction platforms were established to test the role of mucins expression on T cells activity. Syngeneic mouse model of PDAC was used to explore the impact of mucins downregulation on standard therapy efficacy. RESULTS: Spatial transcriptomics showed that mucin O-glycosylation pathway is increased in the progression from low-grade to high-grade IPMN. We identified GCNT3, a master regulator of mucins expression, as an actionable target of this pathway by talniflumate. We showed that talniflumate impaired mucins expression increasing T cell activation and recognition using both mouse and human organoid interaction platforms. In vivo experiments showed that talniflumate was able to increase the efficacy of the chemotherapy by boosting immune infiltration. CONCLUSIONS: Finally, we demonstrated that combination of talniflumate, an anti-inflammatory drug, with chemotherapy effectively improves anti-tumor effect in PDAC.

The dark side of tumor-associated endothelial cells.

Angiogenesis is a hallmark of cancer and a requisite that tumors must achieve to fulfill their metabolic needs of nutrients and oxygen. As a critical step in cancer progression, the 'angiogenic switch' allows tumor cells to survive and grow, and provides them access to vasculature resulting in metastatic progression and dissemination. Tumor-dependent triggering of the angiogenic switch has critical consequences on tumor progression which extends from an increased nutrient supply and relies instead on the ability of the tumor to hijack the host immune response for the generation of a local immunoprivileged microenvironment. Tumor angiogenic-mediated establishment of endothelial anergy is responsible for this process. However, tumor endothelium can also promote immune tolerance by unbalanced expression of co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules and by releasing soluble factors that restrain T cell function and induce apoptosis. In this review, we discuss the molecular properties of the tumor endothelial barrier and endothelial anergy and discuss the main immunosuppressive mechanisms triggered by the tumor endothelium. Lastly, we describe the current anti-angiogenic therapeutic landscape and how targeting tumor angiogenesis can contribute to improve clinical benefits for patients.

Tumor-induced tolerance and immune suppression depend on the C/EBPbeta transcription factor.

Tumor growth is associated with a profound alteration in myelopoiesis, leading to recruitment of immunosuppressive cells known as myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). We showed that among factors produced by various experimental tumors, the cytokines GM-CSF, G-CSF, and IL-6 allowed a rapid generation of MDSCs from precursors present in mouse and human bone marrow (BM). BM-MDSCs induced by GM-CSF+IL-6 possessed the highest tolerogenic activity, as revealed by the ability to impair the priming of CD8(+) T cells and allow long term acceptance of pancreatic islet allografts. Cytokines inducing MDSCs acted on a common molecular pathway and the immunoregulatory activity of both tumor-induced and BM-derived MDSCs was entirely dependent on the C/EBPbeta transcription factor. Adoptive transfer of tumor antigen-specific CD8(+) T lymphocytes resulted in therapy of established tumors only in mice lacking C/EBPbeta in the myeloid compartment, suggesting that C/EBPbeta is a critical regulator of the immunosuppressive environment created by growing cancers.

Four-class tumor staging for early diagnosis and monitoring of murine pancreatic cancer using magnetic resonance and ultrasound.

Background: The widely used genetically engineered mouse LSL-KrasG12D/+; LSL-Trp53R172H/+; Pdx-1-Cre, termed KPC, spontaneously develops pancreatic cancer mirroring all phases of the carcinogenesis but in asynchronous manner. Preclinical studies need defined criteria for the enrollment of the KPC sharing the same stage of carcinogenesis. Aim: To define a tumor-staging criteria using magnetic resonance (MR) and ultrasound (US) and then to correlate the imaging stage with overall survival of KPC mice. Methods: Forty KPC (2- to 5-month-old mice) were imaged by axial fat-saturated T2-weighted sequences at MR and by brightness mode US to establish criteria for tumor staging. Immunohistopathology was used to validate imaging. A second cohort of 25 KPC was used to correlate imaging stage with survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results: We defined a four-class tumor staging system ranking from stages 1 to 4. Stage 1 was described as radiologically healthy pancreas; precursor lesions were detectable in histology only. Cystic papillary neoplasms, besides other premalignant alterations, marked stage 2 in the absence of cancer nodules. Stages 3 and 4 identified mice affected by overt pancreatic cancer with size <5 or ≥5 mm, respectively. Regarding the prognosis, this staging system correlated with disease-related mortality whatever may be the KPC age when they staged. Conclusion: This imaging-based four-class tumor staging is an effective and safe method to stage pancreatic cancer development in KPC. As a result, regardless of their age, KPC mice can be synchronized based on prognosis or on a specific phase of tumorigenesis, such as the early but already radiologically detectable one (stage 2).

MDSCs in cancer: Conceiving new prognostic and therapeutic targets.

The incomplete clinical efficacy of anti-tumor immunotherapy can depend on the presence of an immunosuppressive environment in the host that supports tumor progression. Tumor-derived cytokines and growth factors induce an altered hematopoiesis that modifies the myeloid cell differentiation process, promoting proliferation and expansion of cells with immunosuppressive skills, namely myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). MDSCs promote tumor growth not only by shaping immune responses towards tumor tolerance, but also by supporting several processes necessary for the neoplastic progression such as tumor angiogenesis, cancer stemness, and metastasis dissemination. Thus, MDSC targeting represents a promising tool to eliminate host immune dysfunctions and increase the efficacy of immune-based cancer therapies.

Immunomodulation after radiofrequency ablation of locally advanced pancreatic cancer by monitoring the immune response in 10 patients.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: RFA of pancreatic cancer has been demonstrated to be feasible and safe with a positive impact on survival. The aim was to investigate whether an immune reaction is activated after locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) ablation. METHODS: Peripheral Blood samples were obtained preoperatively and on post-operative days 3-30. Evaluated parameters were: cells [CD4+, CD8+ and activated subsets, T-Reg, Monocytes, myeloid and plasmocytoid Dendritic cells (mDC and pDC)] and cytokines [Interleukin (IL)-6, Stromal-cells derived factor (SDF)-1, IL-1ß, Tumour-Necrosis Factor (TNF)-α, Interferon (IFN)-γ, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF), chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL-5), Transforming-Growth Factor (TGF)-ß]. RESULTS: Ten patients were enrolled. CD4+, CD8+ and TEM increased from day 3 suggesting the activation of the adaptive response. Immunosuppressive T-Reg cells were stable despite the possibility that laparotomy and heating might favour their expansion. Myeloid DCs, that present tumour-associated antigens, increased at day 30. RFA dramatically increased circulating IL-6 at day 3 but this decreased to baseline by day 30, consistent with the supposed anti-tumour effect. RFA did not significantly modulate essential chemokines, such as CCL-5 and SDF1, VEGF, TGF-ß and TNF-α, that favour tumour-growth by sustaining cancer angiogenesis and fuelling tumour-associated inflammation. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first evidence of RFA-based immunomodulation in LAPC. We observed a general activation of adaptive response along with a decrease of immunosuppression. Furthermore, most cells showed prolonged activation some weeks after the procedure, suggesting true immunomodulation rather than a normal inflammatory response.

Autologous cellular vaccine overcomes cancer immunoediting in a mouse model of myeloma.

In the Sp6 mouse plasmacytoma model, a whole-cell vaccination with Sp6 cells expressing de novo B7-1 (Sp6/B7) induced anatomically localized and cytotoxic T cell (CTL)-mediated protection against wild-type (WT) Sp6. Both WT Sp6 and Sp6/B7 showed down-regulated expression of MHC H-2 L(d). Increase of H-2 L(d) expression by cDNA transfection (Sp6/B7/L(d)) raised tumour immune protection and shifted most CTL responses towards H-2 L(d)-restricted antigenic epitopes. The tumour-protective responses were not specific for the H-2 L(d)-restricted immunodominant AH1 epitope of the gp70 common mouse tumour antigen, although WT Sp6 and transfectants were able to present it to specific T cells in vitro. Gp70 transcripts, absent in secondary lymphoid organs of naive mice, were detected in immunized mice as well as in splenocytes from naive mice incubated in vitro with supernatants of CTL-lysed Sp6 cell cultures, containing damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). It has been shown that Toll-like receptor triggering induces gp70 expression. Damage-associated molecular patterns are released by CTL-mediated killing of Sp6/B7-Sp6/B7/L(d) cells migrated to draining lymph nodes during immunization and may activate gp70 expression and presentation in most resident antigen-presenting cells. The same could also apply for Mus musculus endogenous ecotropic murine leukaemia virus 1 particles present in Sp6-cytosol, discharged by dying cells and superinfecting antigen-presenting cells. The outcome of such a massive gp70 cross-presentation would probably be tolerogenic for the high-affinity AH1-gp70-specific CTL clones. In this scenario, autologous whole-tumour-cell vaccines rescue tumour-specific immunoprotection by amplification of subdominant tumour antigen responses when those against the immune dominant antigens are lost.

Targeting tumor vasculature: expanding the potential of DNA cancer vaccines.

Targeting the tumor vasculature with anti-angiogenesis modalities is a bona fide validated approach that has complemented cancer treatment paradigms. Tumor vasculature antigens (TVA) can be immunologically targeted and offers multiple theoretical advantages that may enhance existing strategies against cancer. We focused on tumor endothelial marker 1 (TEM1/CD248) as a model TVA since it is broadly expressed on many different cancers. Our DNA-based vaccine approach demonstrated that CD248 can be effectively targeted immunologically; anti-tumor responses were generated in several mouse models; and CD8(+)/CD4(+) T cell responses were elicited against peptides derived from CD248 protein. Our work supports our contention that CD248 is a novel immunotherapeutic target for cancer treatment and highlights the efficient, safe and translatable use of DNA-based immunotherapy. We next briefly highlight ongoing investigations targeting CD248 with antibodies as a diagnostic imaging agent and as a therapeutic antibody in an early clinical trial. The optimal approach for generating effective DNA-based cancer vaccines for several tumor types may be a combinatorial approach that enhances immunogenicity such as combination with chemotherapy. Additional combination approaches are discussed and include those that alleviate the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment induced by myeloid-derived suppressor cells and T regulatory cells. Targeting the tumor vasculature by CD248-based immunological modalities expands the armamentarium against cancer.

Cellular collusion: cracking the code of immunosuppression and chemo resistance in PDAC.

Despite the efforts, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is still highly lethal. Therapeutic challenges reside in late diagnosis and establishment of peculiar tumor microenvironment (TME) supporting tumor outgrowth. This stromal landscape is highly heterogeneous between patients and even in the same patient. The organization of functional sub-TME with different cellular compositions provides evolutive advantages and sustains therapeutic resistance. Tumor progressively establishes a TME that can suit its own needs, including proliferation, stemness and invasion. Cancer-associated fibroblasts and immune cells, the main non-neoplastic cellular TME components, follow soluble factors-mediated neoplastic instructions and synergize to promote chemoresistance and immune surveillance destruction. Unveiling heterotypic stromal-neoplastic interactions is thus pivotal to breaking this synergism and promoting the reprogramming of the TME toward an anti-tumor milieu, improving thus the efficacy of conventional and immune-based therapies. We underscore recent advances in the characterization of immune and fibroblast stromal components supporting or dampening pancreatic cancer progression, as well as novel multi-omic technologies improving the current knowledge of PDAC biology. Finally, we put into context how the clinic will translate the acquired knowledge to design new-generation clinical trials with the final aim of improving the outcome of PDAC patients.

Identification of a Compound Inhibiting Both the Enzymatic and Nonenzymatic Functions of Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase 1.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) plays a key role in tumor immune escape. Besides being a metabolic enzyme that catalyzes the first step of tryptophan catabolism, it also acts as a signal-transducing protein, whose partnering with tyrosine phosphatase Src homology 2 (SH2) domain-containing protein tyrosine phosphatase substrate (SHPs) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) regulatory subunit p85 promotes the establishment of a sustained immunosuppressive phenotype. While IDO1 inhibitors typically interfere with its enzymatic activity, we aimed to discover a more effective modulator capable of blocking not only the enzymatic but also the signaling-mediated functions of IDO1. By virtual screening, we identified the compound VS-15, which selectively binds the heme-free form of IDO1, inhibits its enzymatic activity, and reduces the IDO1-mediated signaling pathway by negatively interfering with its partnership with SHPs and PI3K regulatory subunit p85 as well as with the IDO1 anchoring to the early endosomes in tumor cells. Moreover, VS-15 counteracts the TGF-ß-mediated immunosuppressive phenotype in dendritic cells and reduces the level of inhibition of T cell proliferation by suppressive monocytes isolated from patients affected by pancreatic cancer. Herein, we describe the discovery and characterization of a small molecule with an unprecedented mechanism of action, capable of inhibiting both the enzymatic and nonenzymatic activities of IDO1 by binding to its apo-form. These results pave the way for the development of next-generation IDO1 inhibitors with a unique competitive advantage over the currently available modulators, thereby opening therapeutic opportunities in cancer immunotherapy.

Characterizing the immune tumor microenvironment in ALK fusion-positive lung cancer: state-of-the-art and therapeutical implications.

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 5% of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), exhibits anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangements. EML4-ALK fusions account for over 90% of ALK rearrangements in NSCLC. The advent of treatment targeting ALK has significantly improved survival rates in patients with advanced ALK-positive NSCLC. However, the emergence of resistance mechanisms and the subsequent progression disease inevitably occurs. The tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) plays a pivotal role in lung cancer, influencing disease development, patient's outcomes, and response to treatments. AREAS COVERED: The aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive characterization of the TIME in ALK rearranged NSCLC and its intrinsic plasticity under treatment pressure. EXPERT OPINION: Recognizing the fundamental role of the TIME in cancer progression has shifted the paradigm from a tumor cell-centric perspective to the understanding of a complex tumor ecosystem. Understanding the intricate dynamics of the TIME, its influence on treatment response, and the potential of immunotherapy in patients with ALK-positive NSCLC are currently among the primary research objectives in this patient population.

Prognostic impact of Interleukin-8 levels in lung cancer: A meta-analysis and a bioinformatic validation.

BACKGROUND: High interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels have been linked to poor prognosis in lung cancer, but conclusive data are lacking. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted on April 1st, 2023, from electronic databases, focusing on studies with IL-8 expression evaluations and the availability of hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and disease-free survival (DFS) or adequate data for their estimation. Then, we examined IL-8 and CXCR1 RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, and we correlated these data with OS. RESULTS: Among 2655 produced records, 10 manuscripts involving both non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer, were included in the analysis. Two manuscripts and one study included two and three different cohorts, respectively, for a total of 14 cohorts of patients. Overall, 4 cohorts evaluated IL-8 levels in patients treated with chemotherapy, 3 cohorts immunotherapy, 2 cohorts surgical patients and 4 cohorts other treatments; 1 cohort was removed, as the type of treatments was lacking. The 12 cohorts included in the OS analysis revealed that patients with high IL-8 levels have a lower OS probability, as compared to patients with low IL-8 levels (HR=1.75, 95 % CI 1.36-2.26). No significant difference between patients with high and low IL-8 levels was observed in the 8 cohorts available for PFS analysis. Sensitivity analysis according to treatment revealed significant PFS and OS differences for patients treated with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Analysis of RNA-seq data from TCGA, confirmed the correlation between high IL-8 and CXCR1 expression and worse OS in patients with resected lung cancer. CONCLUSION: To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first meta-analysis demonstrating a negative prognostic impact of high IL-8 level in lung cancer, particularly in patients treated with chemotherapy and/or immunotherapy.

B-cell receptor signaling activity identifies patients with mantle cell lymphoma at higher risk of progression.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an incurable B-cell malignancy characterized by a high clinical variability. Therefore, there is a critical need to define parameters that identify high-risk patients for aggressive disease and therapy resistance. B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling is crucial for MCL initiation and progression and is a target for therapeutic intervention. We interrogated BCR signaling proteins (SYK, LCK, BTK, PLCγ2, p38, AKT, NF-κB p65, and STAT5) in 30 primary MCL samples using phospho-specific flow cytometry. Anti-IgM modulation induced heterogeneous BCR signaling responses among samples allowing the identification of two clusters with differential responses. The cluster with higher response was associated with shorter progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Moreover, higher constitutive AKT activity was predictive of inferior response to the Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) ibrutinib. Time-to-event analyses showed that MCL international prognostic index (MIPI) high-risk category and higher STAT5 response were predictors of shorter PFS and OS whilst MIPI high-risk category and high SYK response predicted shorter OS. In conclusion, we identified BCR signaling properties associated with poor clinical outcome and resistance to ibrutinib, thus highlighting the prognostic and predictive significance of BCR activity and advancing our understanding of signaling heterogeneity underlying clinical behavior of MCL.