RESUMO
Unlike many other hematologic malignancies, Richter syndrome (RS), an aggressive B cell lymphoma originating from indolent chronic lymphocytic leukemia, is responsive to PD-1 blockade. To discover the determinants of response, we analyze single-cell transcriptome data generated from 17 bone marrow samples longitudinally collected from 6 patients with RS. Response is associated with intermediate exhausted CD8 effector/effector memory T cells marked by high expression of the transcription factor ZNF683, determined to be evolving from stem-like memory cells and divergent from terminally exhausted cells. This signature overlaps with that of tumor-infiltrating populations from anti-PD-1 responsive solid tumors. ZNF683 is found to directly target key T cell genes (TCF7, LMO2, CD69) and impact pathways of T cell cytotoxicity and activation. Analysis of pre-treatment peripheral blood from 10 independent patients with RS treated with anti-PD-1, as well as patients with solid tumors treated with anti-PD-1, supports an association of ZNF683high T cells with response.
Assuntos
Leucemia Linfocítica Crônica de Células B , Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B , Humanos , Leucemia Linfocítica Crônica de Células B/patologia , Linfócitos T CD8-Positivos , Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B/tratamento farmacológico , Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B/genética , Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B/patologia , Regulação da Expressão Gênica , ImunoterapiaRESUMO
Richter syndrome (RS) arising from chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) exemplifies an aggressive malignancy that develops from an indolent neoplasm. To decipher the genetics underlying this transformation, we computationally deconvoluted admixtures of CLL and RS cells from 52 patients with RS, evaluating paired CLL-RS whole-exome sequencing data. We discovered RS-specific somatic driver mutations (including IRF2BP2, SRSF1, B2M, DNMT3A and CCND3), recurrent copy-number alterations beyond del(9p21)(CDKN2A/B), whole-genome duplication and chromothripsis, which were confirmed in 45 independent RS cases and in an external set of RS whole genomes. Through unsupervised clustering, clonally related RS was largely distinct from diffuse large B cell lymphoma. We distinguished pathways that were dysregulated in RS versus CLL, and detected clonal evolution of transformation at single-cell resolution, identifying intermediate cell states. Our study defines distinct molecular subtypes of RS and highlights cell-free DNA analysis as a potential tool for early diagnosis and monitoring.
Assuntos
Leucemia Linfocítica Crônica de Células B , Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B , Humanos , Leucemia Linfocítica Crônica de Células B/genética , Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B/genética , Linfoma Difuso de Grandes Células B/patologia , Fatores de Processamento de Serina-ArgininaRESUMO
Cancers avoid immune surveillance through an array of mechanisms, including perturbation of HLA class I antigen presentation. Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive, HLA-I-low, neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin often caused by the Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV). Through the characterization of 11 newly generated MCC patient-derived cell lines, we identified transcriptional suppression of several class I antigen presentation genes. To systematically identify regulators of HLA-I loss in MCC, we performed parallel, genome-scale, gain- and loss-of-function screens in a patient-derived MCPyV-positive cell line and identified MYCL and the non-canonical Polycomb repressive complex 1.1 (PRC1.1) as HLA-I repressors. We observed physical interaction of MYCL with the MCPyV small T viral antigen, supporting a mechanism of virally mediated HLA-I suppression. We further identify the PRC1.1 component USP7 as a pharmacologic target to restore HLA-I expression in MCC.
Assuntos
Carcinoma de Célula de Merkel , Poliomavírus das Células de Merkel , Infecções por Polyomavirus , Neoplasias Cutâneas , Antígenos Virais de Tumores/genética , Antígenos Virais de Tumores/metabolismo , Carcinoma de Célula de Merkel/genética , Carcinoma de Célula de Merkel/patologia , Epigênese Genética , Humanos , Poliomavírus das Células de Merkel/genética , Poliomavírus das Células de Merkel/metabolismo , Infecções por Polyomavirus/genética , Neoplasias Cutâneas/patologia , Peptidase 7 Específica de Ubiquitina/metabolismoRESUMO
Most human cancers converge to a deregulated methylome with reduced global levels and elevated methylation at select CpG islands. To investigate the emergence and dynamics of the cancer methylome, we characterized genome-wide DNA methylation in pre-neoplastic monoclonal B cell lymphocytosis (MBL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), including serial samples collected across disease course. We detected the aberrant tumor-associated methylation landscape at CLL diagnosis and found no significantly differentially methylated regions in the high-count MBL-to-CLL transition. Patient methylomes showed remarkable stability with natural disease and post-therapy progression. Single CLL cells were consistently aberrantly methylated, indicating a homogeneous transition to the altered epigenetic state, and a distinct expression profile together with MBL cells compared to normal B cells. Our longitudinal analysis reveals the cancer methylome to emerge early, which may provide a platform for subsequent genetically-driven growth dynamics and together with its persistent presence suggests a central role in the normal-to-cancer transition.