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The tumor microenvironment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) involves a significant accumulation of fibroblasts as part of the host response to cancer. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, multiplex immunostaining, and several genetic mouse models, we identify carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAF) with opposing functions in PDAC progression. Depletion of fibroblast activation protein (FAP)+ CAFs results in increased survival, in contrast to depletion of alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA)+ CAFs, which leads to decreased survival. Tumor-promoting FAP+ CAFs (TP-CAF) and tumor-restraining αSMA+ CAFs (TR-CAF) differentially regulate cancer-associated pathways and accumulation of regulatory T cells. Improved efficacy of gemcitabine is observed when IL6 is deleted from αSMA+ CAFs but not from FAP+ CAFs using dual-recombinase genetic PDAC models. Improved gemcitabine efficacy due to lack of IL6 synergizes with anti–PD-1 immunotherapy to significantly improve survival of PDAC mice. Our study identifies functional heterogeneity of CAFs in PDAC progression and their different roles in therapy response.Significance:PDAC is associated with accumulation of dense stroma consisting of fibroblasts and extracellular matrix that regulate tumor progression. Here, we identify two distinct populations of fibroblasts with opposing roles in the progression and immune landscape of PDAC. Our findings demonstrate that fibroblasts are functionally diverse with therapeutic implications.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1397

Supplementary Data from Identification of Functional Heterogeneity of Carcinoma-Associated Fibroblasts with Distinct IL6-Mediated Therapy Resistance in Pancreatic Cancer

Overlapped genes between Genes upregulated in Ptenpc-/-Smad4pc-/- tumors as compared to Ptenpc-/- tumors ({greater than or equal to}2 fold) and genes upregulated in GFP+ tumors cells from Ptenpc-/-Smad4pc-/- mice as compared to Tomato+ cells ({greater than or equal to}4 fold).

Supplementary Figure S1. CyTOF analysis of biological samples from Ptenpc-/-Smad4pc-/- mice (Related to Figure 2). Supplementary Figure S2. Strategy used for MDSCs Isolation (Related to Figure 3). Supplementary Figure S3. Treatment scheme for Gr-1 antibody, peptibody, and Cxcr2 inhibitor SB225002. Supplementary Figure S4. IHC staining of Ki67, CD45, Vimentin, Smooth muscle actin (SMA) and Trichrome staining of mouse prostate tissues treated with IgG control or Gr1 antibody. Supplementary Figure S5. The top 10 differentially expressed genes in Ptenpc-/-Smad4pc-/- tumors as compared to Ptenpc-/- tumors, identified by microarray analysis (n=5). Figure S6. Top 10 activated oncogenic signatures identified by GSEA analysis in Ptenpc-/- Smad4pc-/- tumors as compared to Ptenpc-/- tumors (n=5). Figure S7. Clustering of primary prostate tumors from Wallace et al into MDSC-high and MDSC-low subtypes.

Among the many sarcoma subtypes, high-grade tumors that have failed to differentiate or undergone dedifferentiation strongly correlate with metastatic potential and poor clinical outcomes. To examine the factors that regulate cell fate, lineage plasticity, and tumor grade, we focused on two common liposarcoma variants, dedifferentiated liposarcoma (DDLS) and well-differentiated liposarcomas (WDLS), that exist at both ends of the differentiation spectrum. Since tumor grading using histology is highly subjective due to widespread tumor heterogeneity, we hypothesized that an sc/snRNA-seq-based approach would be more accurate. To determine if candidate therapies modulate differentiation, we developed a quantitative metric of differentiation using scRNA-seq. The resulting mesenchymal tissue landscape (MTL) is akin to a Waddington landscape but optimized to distinguish DDLS from WDLS. After prospectively obtaining tumors from seven chemo-naïve patients, we performed scRNA-seq on three DDLS and five WDLS specimens, totaling 59,917 cells. Classical markers were used to identify cell types. Since no pre-existing liposarcoma training sets existed, malignant cells were identified by copy number variation (CNV) inferred from the scRNA-seq data. Overexpression of MDM2, CDK4, and HMGA2, known markers of LS, were positive in clusters classified by SingleR as fibroblasts, adipocytes, and myocyte - the mesenchymal subpopulation. We also inferred CNVs and found expected amplifications in 12q13-15 in the mesenchymal subpopulation. Next, we measured cell differentiation by CytoTRACE. A subcluster of malignant fibroblast-like cells positive for MDM2 and CDK4 was the most de-differentiated. Conversely, cells labeled as adipocytes and endothelial cells were the most differentiated cells. Mapping WDLS and DDLS onto the MTL demonstrated that WDLS had more mature cells than DDLS. Surprisingly, while the pathology-assigned diagnosis falls into just two categories, our approach identified a wide range of liposarcoma cells spanning the full spectrum of possible differentiation states. Though follow-on studies are needed, our data suggest that quantitative differentiation metrics can identify malignant cells in transit from a DDLS-to-WDLS state, or possibly the reverse, whereby cells undergo dedifferentiation. Both phenomena are suspected clinically, given the frequent co-existence of WDLS and DDLS in the same tumors, and the noted emergence of DDLS from WDLS diagnosed years earlier. Summarizing our key findings, we measured the degree of differentiation in liposarcoma cells as a precursor to ongoing studies aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms that underpin LS plasticity and differentiation. Ultimately, we aim to identify the genes and pathways linked to cell fate and discover novel biologically targeted therapies capable of pushing DDLS toward a less aggressive, slower-growing state. Citation Format: Danh Truong, Hannah C. Beird, Chia-Chin Wu, Sandhya Krishnan, Davis Ingram, Alexander Lazar, Emily Keung, Christina Roland, Wantong Yao, Robert Benjamin, Neeta Somaiah, Barry W. Feig, Joseph A. Ludwig. Defining differentiation States in well-differentiated and de-differentiated liposarcoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 6558.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is a rare, usually incurable, aggressive sarcoma subtype that occurs predominantly in adolescent and young adult (AYA) males. At diagnosis, most present with hundreds of intraabdominal nodules composed of malignant cells that harbor a EWSR1-WT1 chromosomal translocation and resultant fusion protein (FP). It was shown that subset of DSRCT cells (mostly of epithelial histotype) highly express the androgen receptor (AR), a key epigenetic driver of prostate cancer (PC). To assess the role of AR more comprehensively in DSRCT, we tested if AR antagonists curb cell proliferation and tumor growth. Both enzalutamide and AR-antisense therapy blocked DHT-induced cell proliferation and reduce xenograft tumor burden. Next, to mechanistically interrogate AR’s oncogenic effects, we performed single-nuclei RNA-seq (snRNA-eq) and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) on frozen patient specimens. Those studies revealed a surprising epigenetic similarity between DSRCT to PC. Though overlap exists in the DNA binding MOTIFs of AR in DSRCT and PC, our ChIP-seq results, interestingly, revealed DSRCT-specific AR DNA binding sites adjacent to key oncogenic regulators, including FOXF1 and WT1 (the C-terminal partner of the pathognomonic FP). To our surprise, we identified a subset of DSRCT samples that underwent partial neuroendocrine (NE) epigenetic reprogramming, akin to what occurs in ~1/3 of castrate-resistant PC (CRPC). Since androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) isn’t yet a standard treatment yet for DSRCT, it remains an enigma why DSRCT would spontaneously undergo NE reprogramming or how this might affect ADT sensitivity. To address this, nine DSRCT patient samples were profiled using snRNA-seq. Sub-clustering revealed epithelial, mesenchymal, or NE signatures and marked inter-patient and intra-tumoral heterogeneity. Notably, five of nine patients exhibited NE markers (SYP, ENO2, CHG, FOXA2, ASCL1, and SOX2), while three expressed epithelial markers (MUC1, MUC6, KRT18, KRT23, CDH1). One patient exhibited a hybrid AR indifferent phenotype. While strikingly different from PC morphologically and phenotypically, our data suggest that DSRCT is a second androgen-stimulated malignancy. Shared dependence upon AR for tumor growth and survival provides an exciting opportunity to prospectively study AR signaling in a different cancer type and younger DSRCT-stricken patient population. Ongoing work will determine if DSRCT undergoes dedifferentiation towards a more stem-like cell as an intermediary step before undergoing neural lineage commitment or transdifferentiation directly from an epithelial cell type towards a neuroendocrine cell fate. We are also exploring whether the FP acts as a Pioneer factor to direct AR towards DSRCT-specific androgen response elements that explain this sarcoma subtype’s unique clinical presentation. Citation Format: Danh Truong, Salah-Eddine Lamhamedi-Cherradi, Mayinuer Maitituoheti, Hannah C. Beird, Emre Arslan, Chia-Chin Wu, Sandhya Krishnan, Davis Ingram, P Andrew Futreal, Mark Titus, Kunal Rai, Alexander Lazar, A Robert MacLeod, Ravin Ratan, John Andrew Livingston, Najat Daw, Andrea Hayes-Dixon, Joseph Ludwig. The epigenetic impact and therapeutic opportunity of AR-directed therapy for DSRCT [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 1196.

Background Metastasis is the primary cause of cancer mortality accounting for 90% of cancer deaths. Our understanding of the molecular mechanisms driving metastasis is rudimentary. Results We perform whole exome sequencing (WES), RNA sequencing, methylation microarray, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on 8 pairs of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) primary tumors and matched distant metastases. Furthermore, we analyze published WES data from 35 primary NSCLC and metastasis pairs, and transcriptomic data from 4 autopsy cases with metastatic NSCLC and one metastatic lung cancer mouse model. The majority of somatic mutations are shared between primary tumors and paired distant metastases although mutational signatures suggest different mutagenesis processes in play before and after metastatic spread. Subclonal analysis reveals evidence of monoclonal seeding in 41 of 42 patients. Pathway analysis of transcriptomic data reveals that downregulated pathways in metastases are mainly immune-related. Further deconvolution analysis reveals significantly lower infiltration of various immune cell types in metastases with the exception of CD4+ T cells and M2 macrophages. These results are in line with lower densities of immune cells and higher CD4/CD8 ratios in metastases shown by IHC. Analysis of transcriptomic data from autopsy cases and animal models confirms that immunosuppression is also present in extracranial metastases. Significantly higher somatic copy number aberration and allelic imbalance burdens are identified in metastases. Conclusions Metastasis is a molecularly late event, and immunosuppression driven by different molecular events, including somatic copy number aberration, may be a common characteristic of tumors with metastatic plasticity.

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is an aggressive, usually incurable sarcoma subtype that predominantly occurs in post-pubertal young males. Recent evidence suggests that the androgen receptor (AR) can promote tumor progression in DSRCTs. However, the mechanism of AR-induced oncogenic stimulation remains undetermined. Herein, we demonstrate that enzalutamide and AR-directed antisense oligonucleotides (AR-ASO) block 5α-dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced DSRCT cell proliferation and reduce xenograft tumor burden. Gene expression analysis and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) were performed to elucidate how AR signaling regulates cellular epigenetic programs. Remarkably, ChIP-seq revealed novel DSRCT-specific AR DNA binding sites adjacent to key oncogenic regulators, including WT1 (the C-terminal partner of the pathognomonic fusion protein) and FOXF1. Additionally, AR occupied enhancer sites that regulate the Wnt pathway, neural differentiation, and embryonic organ development, implicating AR in dysfunctional cell lineage commitment. Our findings have immediate clinical implications given the widespread availability of FDA-approved androgen-targeted agents used for prostate cancer.ONE SENTENCE SUMMARYWe demonstrate that DSRCT, an aggressive pediatric cancer, is an AR-driven malignancy capable of responding to androgen deprivation therapy.

Limited clinical activity has been seen in osteosarcoma (OS) patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). To gain insights into the immunogenic potential of these tumors, we conducted whole genome, RNA, and T-cell receptor sequencing, immunohistochemistry and reverse phase protein array profiling (RPPA) on OS specimens from 48 pediatric and adult patients with primary, relapsed, and metastatic OS. Median immune infiltrate level was lower than in other tumor types where ICI are effective, with concomitant low T-cell receptor clonalities. Neoantigen expression in OS was lacking and significantly associated with high levels of nonsense-mediated decay (NMD). Samples with low immune infiltrate had higher number of deleted genes while those with high immune infiltrate expressed higher levels of adaptive resistance pathways. PARP2 expression levels were significantly negatively associated with the immune infiltrate. Together, these data reveal multiple immunosuppressive features of OS and suggest immunotherapeutic opportunities in OS patients., The efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in osteosarcoma has been limited. Here, the authors investigate the immunogenomic landscape of osteosarcoma, and integrated analyses highlight features related to a suppressed immune microenvironment.

A theoretical investigation is performed into the bending behavior of FOF-ACF (Flex-On-Flex bonded by Anisotropic Conductive Film) packages bonded at different positions relative to the neutral surface position. The stresses and strains produced in the upper and lower regions of the ACF layer are investigated using Mode I fracture mechanics theory. The results show that the region of the ACF layer beneath the neutral surface of the FOF-ACF package experiences a negative stress, which prevents pre-existing cracks in the conductive particles from propagating further. However, at larger distances from the neutral surface, the compressive stress increases to such an extent that it may result in crumbling of the conductive particles. By contrast, the region of the ACF layer above the neutral surface experiences a positive stress, which promotes crack tip propagation. Moreover, the tension stress (i.e., the crack propagation effect) increases with an increasing distance from the neutral surface. The optimum bonding position for the ACF layer is found to be coincident with the neutral surface since, under this condition, the stresses and strains acting on the compressed particles present their minimum values. Consequently, the risk of fracture failure is reduced and the reliability of the ACF package is correspondingly improved.

Background: We evaluated the activity of neoadjuvant ICB in localized resectable DDLPS (n=17) and undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas (UPS; n=10). DDLPS and UPS patients were randomized to neoadjuvant nivolumab or ipilimumab+nivolumab, with UPS patients receiving concurrent radiotherapy. We assessed genomic markers of early relapse (progression before surgery or relapse within 52 weeks following surgery) using longitudinally acquired tumor samples. Methods: RNA sequencing (RNAseq) and whole genome sequencing (WGS) were performed on longitudinally acquired samples (baseline biopsies and surgical specimens). Differential gene expression between any two groups of patients (i.e., non-early relapse [non-relapsers] vs early relapse [relapsers]) were selected (fold change>1.5 and p value Citation Format: Elise F. Nassif, Chia-Chin Wu, Kadir Akdemir, Russell G. Witt, Raymond Traweek, Brandon Cope, Prapassorn Thirasastr, Taylor Tate, Grace Mathew, Shadarra Crosby, Randy Chu, Mohammad Mohammad, Kenna Shaw, Ingram Davis, Khalida Wani, Alexander J. Lazar, Wei-Lien Wang, Sheila Duncan, Ashleigh B. Guadagnolo, Andrew J. Bishop, Valerae Lewis, Justin E. Bird, Keila E. Torres, Kelly K. Hunt, Barry W. Feig, Christopher P. Scally, Ravin Ratan, Shreyaskumar Patel, Robert S. Benjamin, Robert Satcher, Kevin McBride, Wolf H. Fridman, Ignacio Wistuba, Andrew Futreal, Jennifer A. Wargo, Neeta Somaiah, Christina L. Roland, Emily Z. Keung. Antigen presentation and processing pathway is associated with early relapse after neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) in dedifferentiated liposarcomas (DDLPS) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Sarcomas; 2022 May 9-12; Montreal, QC, Canada. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2022;28(18_Suppl):Abstract nr PR002.

2511 Background: While ICB has significantly improved clinical outcomes across several cancer types, only 15-20% of patients develop a durable response. Thus, novel and targetable biomarkers are needed. There is increased appreciation of the role of the gut microbiome, and TLS and B-cells in the TME in response to ICB. Here, we investigate the association between these two determinants of response in patient specimens from three randomized phase 2 neoadjuvant ICB trials of nivolumab +/- ipilimumab (melanoma (MEL; NCT02519322; n=23), non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC; NCT03158129; n=31), sarcoma (SARC; NCT02301039; n=17). Methods: Patients were categorized as responders (R) or non-responders (NR) based on major pathologic response, as defined in each histotype (MEL and NSCLC viable tumor ≤10%; SARC hyalinization>30%). Baseline fecal samples were profiled via 16S rRNA gene sequencing from all three cohorts to assess the composition of patient gut microbiomes. Transcriptional profiles of biopsies collected pre-ICB for MEL and SARC, and post-ICB for MEL, SARC, and NSCLC were used to assess TLS (CXCL13, CCL18, CCL19, CCL21) and B-cell (PAX5, CD79B, CR2, MS4A1) signatures in the TME, by calculated mean values of normalized gene expressions. Comparison between samples were carried out using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Results: There were 21 R overall (NSCLC n=9; MEL n=9; SARC n=3). Despite significant differences in alpha and beta diversity across cohorts, relative abundance of Ruminococcus was significantly higher in R (p=0.003; NSCLC p

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are soft tissue sarcomas that frequently harbor genetic alterations in polycomb repressor complex 2 (PRC2) components-SUZ12 and EED. Here, we show that PRC2 loss confers a dedifferentiated early neural-crest phenotype which is exclusive to PRC2-mutant MPNSTs and not a feature of neurofibromas. Neural crest phenotype in PRC2 mutant MPNSTs was validated via cross-species comparative analysis using spontaneous and transgenic MPNST models. Systematic chromatin state profiling of the MPNST cells showed extensive epigenomic reprogramming or chromatin states associated with PRC2 loss and identified gains of active enhancer states/super-enhancers on early neural crest regulators in PRC2-mutant conditions around genomic loci that harbored repressed/poised states in PRC2-WT MPNST cells. Consistently, inverse correlation between H3K27me3 loss and H3K27Ac gain was noted in MPNSTs. Epigenetic editing experiments established functional roles for enhancer gains on DLX5-a key regulator of neural crest phenotype. Consistently, blockade of enhancer activity by bromodomain inhibitors specifically suppressed this neural crest phenotype and tumor burden in PRC2-mutant PDXs. Together, these findings reveal accumulation of dedifferentiated neural crest like state in PRC2-mutant MPNSTs that can be targeted by enhancer blockade.

Bladder cancer (BC), a heterogeneous disease characterized by high recurrence rates, is diagnosed and monitored by cystoscopy. Accurate clinical staging based on biopsy remains a challenge, and additional, objective diagnostic tools are needed urgently. We used exosomal DNA (exoDNA) as an analyte to examine cancer-associated mutations and compared the diagnostic utility of exoDNA from urine and serum of individuals with BC. In contrast to urine exosomes from healthy individuals, urine exosomes from individuals with BC contained significant amounts of DNA. Whole-exome sequencing of DNA from matched urine and serum exosomes, bladder tumors, and normal tissue (peripheral blood mononuclear cells) identified exonic and 3′ UTR variants in frequently mutated genes in BC, detectable in urine exoDNA and matched tumor samples. Further analyses identified somatic variants in driver genes, unique to urine exoDNA, possibly because of the inherent intra-tumoral heterogeneity of BC, which is not fully represented in random small biopsies. Multiple variants were also found in untranslated portions of the genome, such as microRNA (miRNA)-binding regions of the KRAS gene. Gene network analyses revealed that exoDNA is associated with cancer, inflammation, and immunity in BC exosomes. Our findings show utility of exoDNA as an objective, non-invasive strategy to identify novel biomarkers and targets for BC., Graphical abstract, Urine exosome-derived DNA can be used as an objective and novel biomarker for detection of bladder cancer.

Owing to a lack of response to the anti-PD1 therapy for most cancer patients, we develop a network approach to infer genes, pathways, and potential therapeutic combinations that are associated with tumor response to anti-PD1. Here, our prediction identifies genes and pathways known to be associated with anti-PD1, and is further validated by 6 CRISPR gene sets associated with tumor resistance to cytotoxic T cells and targets of the 36 compounds that have been tested in clinical trials for combination treatments with anti-PD1. Integration of our top prediction and TCGA data identifies hundreds of genes whose expression and genetic alterations that could affect response to anti-PD1 in each TCGA cancer type, and the comparison of these genes across cancer types reveals that the tumor immunoregulation associated with response to anti-PD1 would be tissue-specific. In addition, the integration identifies the gene signature to calculate the MHC I association immunoscore (MIAS) that shows a good correlation with patient response to anti-PD1 for 411 melanoma samples complied from 6 cohorts. Furthermore, mapping drug target data to the top genes in our association prediction identifies inhibitors that could potentially enhance tumor response to anti-PD1, such as inhibitors of the encoded proteins of CDK4, GSK3B, and PTK2., A lot of cancer patients are not responsive to anti-PD1 therapy. Here, the authors develop a network approach to identify genes, pathways and potential therapeutic combinations and develop an MHC-I gene immunoscore associated with tumour response to anti-PD1.

The tumor microenvironment in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) involves a significant accumulation of fibroblasts as part of the host response to cancer. Using single-cell RNA sequencing, multiplex immunostaining, and several genetic mouse models, we identify carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAF) with opposing functions in PDAC progression. Depletion of fibroblast activation protein (FAP)+ CAFs results in increased survival, in contrast to depletion of alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA)+ CAFs, which leads to decreased survival. Tumor-promoting FAP+ CAFs (TP-CAF) and tumor-restraining αSMA+ CAFs (TR-CAF) differentially regulate cancer-associated pathways and accumulation of regulatory T cells. Improved efficacy of gemcitabine is observed when IL6 is deleted from αSMA+ CAFs but not from FAP+ CAFs using dual-recombinase genetic PDAC models. Improved gemcitabine efficacy due to lack of IL6 synergizes with anti–PD-1 immunotherapy to significantly improve survival of PDAC mice. Our study identifies functional heterogeneity of CAFs in PDAC progression and their different roles in therapy response. Significance: PDAC is associated with accumulation of dense stroma consisting of fibroblasts and extracellular matrix that regulate tumor progression. Here, we identify two distinct populations of fibroblasts with opposing roles in the progression and immune landscape of PDAC. Our findings demonstrate that fibroblasts are functionally diverse with therapeutic implications. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1397

Conventional osteosarcoma (OS) is a high-grade intraosseous malignancy with production of osteoid matrix; however, a deeper dive into the underlying genetics reveals genomic complexity and instability that result in significant tumor heterogeneity. While early karyotyping studies demonstrated aneuploidy with chromosomal complexity and structural rearrangements, further investigations have identified few recurrent genetic alterations with the exception of the tumor suppressors TP53 and RB1. More recent studies utilizing next-generation sequencing (NGS; whole-exome sequencing, WES; and whole-genome sequencing, WGS) reveal a genomic landscape predominantly characterized by somatic copy number alterations rather than point/indel mutations. Despite its genomic complexity, OS has shown variable immune infiltrate and limited immunogenicity. In the current chapter, we review the hallmarks of OS genomics across recent NGS studies and the immune profile of OS including a large institutional cohort of OS patients with recurrent and metastatic disease. Understanding the genomic and immune landscape of OS may provide opportunities for translation in both molecularly targeted therapies and novel immuno-oncology approaches.

BackgroundDespite remarkable success, only a subset of cancer patients have shown benefit from the anti-PD1 therapy. Therefore, there is a growing need to identify predictive biomarkers and therapeutic combinations for improving the clinical efficacy.ResultsBased upon the hypothesis that aberrations of any gene that are close to MHC class I genes in the gene network are likely to deregulate MHC I pathway and affect tumor response to anti-PD1, we developed a network approach to infer genes, pathway, and potential therapeutic target genes associated with response to PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint immunotherapies in cancer. Our approach successfully identified genes (e.g. B2M and PTEN) and pathways (e.g. JAK/STAT and WNT) known to be associated with anti-PD1 response. Our prediction was further validated by 5 CRISPR gene sets associated with tumor resistance to cytotoxic T cells. Our results also showed that many cancer genes that act as hubs in the gene network may drive immune evasion through indirectly deregulating the MHC I pathway. The integration analysis of transcriptomic data of the 34 TCGA cancer types and our prediction reveals that MHC I-immunoregulations may be tissue-specific. The signature-based score, the MHC I association immunoscore (MIAS), calculated by integration of our prediction and TCGA melanoma transcriptomic data also showed a good correlation with patient response to anti-PD1 for 354 melanoma samples complied from 5 cohorts. In addition, most targets of the 36 compounds that have been tested in clinical trials or used for combination treatments with anti-PD1 are in the top list of our prediction (AUC=0.833). Integration of drug target data with our top prediction further identified compounds that were recently shown to enhance tumor response to anti-PD1, such as inhibitors of GSK3B, CDK, and PTK2.ConclusionOur approach is effective to identify candidate genes and pathways associated with response to anti-PD-1 therapy, and can also be employed forin silicoscreening of potential compounds to enhances the efficacy of anti-PD1 agents against cancer.

In this study, the effect of wall thickness (15&ndash, 25 mm) on the stress&ndash, strain response of hollow-cylinder rubber fenders were investigated by conducting monotonic compression tests. It was found that a progressive increase in lateral bending deformation was observed during monotonic compression. Simultaneously, the extent of the lateral deflection decreased notably with an increasing wall thickness. From the experimental results, the fact is accepted that buckling occurred in the tested fender due to the fact that the ratio of the height to the wall thickness was higher than four in all of the considered cases. Moreover, an s-shape profile appeared in the stress&ndash, strain curves, which became clearer as the wall thickness was reduced from 25 to 15 mm. To assess the performance of fenders objectively, an energy-effectiveness index, C E R , was introduced to quantify the energy absorption capacity of the fender. From the experimental observations, it was inferred that the contact area of the folded inner surface of the fender produced under compression generated an additional reaction force and affected the shape of the stress&ndash, strain curve since the measured load consisted of two reaction forces: one caused by the self-contact area, and the other resulted from the compression-bending deformation that occurred in the side wall of the fender. To examine this assertion, a finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted and confirmed the effect of the reaction force on the sensitivity of the s-shape characteristic of the stress&ndash, strain curve. Finally, a polynomial regression was conducted and the calculated results based on the fourth-degree stress polynomial function correlated very well with the measured stress&ndash, strain curves.

Additional file 3: Review history.

Additional file 2: Supplementary Figs. S1-S22.

The signaling mechanisms between prostate cancer cells and infiltrating immune cells may illuminate novel therapeutic approaches. Here, utilizing a prostate adenocarcinoma model driven by loss of Pten and Smad4, we identify polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) as the major infiltrating immune cell type, and depletion of MDSCs blocks progression. Employing a novel dual reporter prostate cancer model, epithelial and stromal transcriptomic profiling identified CXCL5 as a cancer-secreted chemokine to attract CXCR2-expressing MDSCs, and, correspondingly, pharmacologic inhibition of CXCR2 impeded tumor progression. Integrated analyses identified hyperactivated Hippo–YAP signaling in driving CXCL5 upregulation in cancer cells through the YAP–TEAD complex and promoting MDSC recruitment. Clinicopathologic studies reveal upregulation and activation of YAP1 in a subset of human prostate tumors, and the YAP1 signature is enriched in primary prostate tumor samples with stronger expression of MDSC-relevant genes. Together, YAP-driven MDSC recruitment via heterotypic CXCL5–CXCR2 signaling reveals an effective therapeutic strategy for advanced prostate cancer. Significance: We demonstrate a critical role of MDSCs in prostate tumor progression and discover a cancer cell nonautonomous function of the Hippo–YAP pathway in regulation of CXCL5, a ligand for CXCR2-expressing MDSCs. Pharmacologic elimination of MDSCs or blocking the heterotypic CXCL5–CXCR2 signaling circuit elicits robust antitumor responses and prolongs survival. Cancer Discov; 6(1); 80–95. ©2015 AACR. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1