Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes expressing the tissue resident memory marker CD103 are associated with increased survival in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

The presence of CD8(+) tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) is associated with prolonged survival in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) and other epithelial cancers. Survival is most strongly associated with intraepithelial versus intrastromal CD8(+) TILs; however, the mechanisms that promote the intraepithelial localization of TILs remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that intraepithelial CD8(+) TILs, like normal mucosal intraepithelial lymphocytes, might express CD103, a subunit of αE/β7 integrin, which binds E-cadherin on epithelial cells. A large collection of primary ovarian tumors (HGSC, endometrioid, mucinous, and clear cell) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry for the presence of TIL-expressing CD103. The activation and differentiation status of CD103(+) TILs were assessed by flow cytometry. The prognostic significance of TIL subsets was evaluated by Kaplan-Meier analysis. CD103(+) TILs were present in all major ovarian cancer subtypes and were most abundant in HGSC. CD103(+) TILs were preferentially localized to epithelial regions of tumors and were comprised predominantly of CD8(+) T cells expressing activation (HLA-DR, Ki-67, PD-1) and cytolytic (TIA-1) markers, as well as CD56(+) NK cells. Tumor infiltration by CD103(+) TILs was strongly associated with patient survival in HGSC. Tumors containing CD8(+) TILs that were CD103(-) showed poor prognosis equivalent to tumors lacking CD8(+) TILs altogether. CD103(+) TILs comprise intraepithelial, activated CD8(+) T cells, and NK cells and are strongly associated with patient survival in HGSC. CD103 may serve as a useful marker for enriching the most beneficial subsets of TILs for immunotherapy.

Webb JR ，Milne K ，Watson P ，Deleeuw RJ ，Nelson BH ... -  《-》

PD-1 and CD103 Are Widely Coexpressed on Prognostically Favorable Intraepithelial CD8 T Cells in Human Ovarian Cancer.

αE(CD103)β7 is a TGFβ-regulated integrin that mediates retention of lymphocytes in peripheral tissues by binding to E-cadherin expressed on epithelial cells. We recently reported that αE(CD103)β7 specifically demarcates intraepithelial CD8(+) tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (CD8 TIL) in ovarian cancer and that CD103(+) TIL have a surface profile consistent with an active effector phenotype (HLA-DR(+), Ki67(+), and CD127(lo)). These findings led us to hypothesize that, over time, CD103-mediated retention of CD8 TIL within the tumor epithelium might result in chronic stimulation by tumor antigen, which in turn might lead to an exhausted phenotype. To investigate this possibility, we evaluated PD-1 expression in a large cohort of ovarian tumors (N = 489) with known CD103(+) TIL content. PD-1(+) cells were present in 38.5% of high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSC), but were less prevalent in other histologic subtypes. PD-1(+) TIL were strongly associated with increased disease-specific survival in HGSC (HR, 0.4864; P = 0.0007). Multicolor immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry revealed a high degree of PD-1 and CD103 coexpression, specifically within the CD8 TIL compartment. PD-1(+)CD103(+) CD8 TIL were quiescent when assessed directly ex vivo yet were capable of robust cytokine production after pharmacologic stimulation. Moreover, they showed negligible expression of additional exhaustion-associated markers, including TIM-3, CTLA-4, and LAG-3. Thus, as hypothesized, CD103(+) CD8 TIL express PD-1 and appear quiescent in the tumor microenvironment. However, these cells retain functional competence and demonstrate strong prognostic significance. We speculate that, after standard treatment, PD-1(+)CD103(+) CD8 TIL might regain functional antitumor activity, an effect that potentially could be augmented by immune modulation.

Webb JR ，Milne K ，Nelson BH 《-》

Combined Immunoscore of CD103 and CD3 Identifies Long-Term Survivors in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer.

Bösmüller HC ，Wagner P ，Peper JK ，Schuster H ，Pham DL ，Greif K ，Beschorner C ，Rammensee HG ，Stevanović S ，Fend F ，Staebler A ... -  《-》

Profound elevation of CD8+ T cells expressing the intraepithelial lymphocyte marker CD103 (alphaE/beta7 Integrin) in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Tumor-infiltrating CD8(+) T cells are strongly associated with survival in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, but their functional phenotype remains poorly defined. The mucosal integrin CD103 (alpha(E)/beta(7)) facilitates the infiltration of T cells into epithelial tissues, including gut and lung mucosa, solid organ allografts, and various epithelial cancers. We reasoned that CD103 might also be expressed by tumor-reactive T cells in ovarian cancer. Flow cytometry was used to assess the frequency and phenotype of CD103-expressing T cells in primary ascites fluid from 13 patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer and 2 patients with recurrent disease. We report that a subset of patients with advanced serous ovarian cancer have profoundly elevated frequencies of CD103-expressing CD8(+) cells in ascites (between 20% and 70% of CD8(+) cells in ascites were CD103(+)) and that CD103 expression correlated with levels of TGF-beta in ascitic fluid. Conversely, CD103 was not expressed on CD4(+) cells, even in those patients with very high frequencies of CD8(+)CD103(+) cells. CD8(+)CD103(+) cells were antigen-experienced (CD45RA(-)CD45RO(+)CD62L(lo)CCR7(-)) and of an intermediate (EM2) effector memory phenotype (CD27(+)CD28(-)). TCR repertoire analysis indicated significant skewing between CD8(+)CD103(-) and CD8(+)CD103(+) T cell subsets, suggesting the two populations contain distinct antigenic specificities. Lastly, HLA pentamer analysis revealed that one patient in the cohort harbored a high frequency of CD8(+) T cells in ascites that were specific for the tumor antigen NY-ESO-1, and that approximately 75% of these NY-ESO-1 specific CD8(+) T cells were CD103(+). CD103(+) may be a marker of activated and tumor-reactive CD8(+) T cells in high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

Webb JR ，Wick DA ，Nielsen JS ，Tran E ，Milne K ，McMurtrie E ，Nelson BH ... -  《-》

CD103+ intraepithelial T cells in high-grade serous ovarian cancer are phenotypically diverse TCRαβ+ CD8αβ+ T cells that can be targeted for cancer immunotherapy.

Komdeur FL ，Wouters MC ，Workel HH ，Tijans AM ，Terwindt AL ，Brunekreeft KL ，Plat A ，Klip HG ，Eggink FA ，Leffers N ，Helfrich W ，Samplonius DF ，Bremer E ，Wisman GB ，Daemen T ，Duiker EW ，Hollema H ，Nijman HW ，de Bruyn M ... -  《Oncotarget》