MARCELO LUIZ BALANCIN
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- Mesothelin expression remodeled the immune-matrix tumor microenvironment predicting the risk of death in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma(2023) QUALIOTTO, Aline Nery; BALDAVIRA, Camila Machado; BALANCIN, Marcelo; AB'SABER, Alexandre; TAKAGAKI, Teresa; CAPELOZZI, Vera LuizaBackgroundThe combination of immunobiological agents with immune checkpoint proteins is a promising treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Mesothelin and anti-PD-L1 antibody-drug conjugates specifically target malignant neoplastic cells, inhibit the migration and invasion of neoplastic cells, and restore the immune landscape. In this study, we confirmed the importance of mesothelin and examined the relationship between mesothelin and the immune landscape of the tumor microenvironment (TME) in two MPM cohorts.MethodsThe discovery cohort included 82 MPM cases. Tissue microarray slides were generated, and samples were processed for hematoxylin & eosin staining, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence assays. The relationship between mesothelin, biomarkers of histogenesis, histological aggressiveness, PD-L1, immune cells (CD4, CD8, CD20, CD68), and collagen type I and type V fibers was evaluated by quantitative digital analyses. The outcome was the survival time until death from disease recurrence. The exploratory cohort included 87 malignant mesothelioma (MESO) patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas database.ResultsMost patients were male (70.7%) with a history of asbestos exposure (53.7%) and with the epithelioid subtype (89%). Surgical resection was performed in 85.4% of patients, and 14.6% received chemotherapy; 59.8% of patients died from disease extension to the mediastinum. Low tumor mesothelin expression was associated with tumor necrosis and nuclear grade 1, whereas high mesothelin expression was significantly associated with the epithelioid histotype and high density of T cells CD8+, macrophages CD68+, and collagen type I fibers. Cox multivariate analysis showed a high risk of death for non-operated patients [hazard ratio (HR), 3.42 (1.15-10.16)] with low tumor mesothelin levels [HR, 2.58 (1.09-6.10)] and high PD-L1 and low infiltration of T cells CD4+ [HR, 3.81 (1.58-9.18)]. In the exploratory cohort, low mesothelin and high COL1A1 and COL5A1 expression were associated with poor overall survival.ConclusionTumor mesothelin expression associated with the TME immune landscape predicts the risk of death for patients with MPM and could be a new target for immunotherapy in MPM.
- A semi-automated microscopic image analysis method for scoring Ki-67 nuclear immunostaining(2023) FERNEZLIAN, S. M.; BALDAVIRA, C. M.; SOUZA, M. L. F. de; FARHAT, C.; VILHENA, A. F. de; PEREIRA, J. C. N.; CAMPOS, J. R. M. de; TAKAGAKI, T.; BALANCIN, M. L.; AB'SABER, A. M.; CAPELOZZI, V. L.Nuclear proliferation marker MIB-1 (Ki-67) immunohistochemistry (IHC) is used to examine tumor cell proliferation. However, the diagnostic or prognostic value of the Ki-67 nuclear staining intensity and location, defined as nuclear gradient (NG), has not been assessed. This study examined the potential association between Ki-67 NG and cell cycle phases and its effect on the prognosis of pulmonary typical carcinoid (PTC) tumors. We propose a method for classifying the NG of Ki-67 during the cell cycle and compare the results between PTC, pulmonary adenocarcinoma (PAD), and breast ductal carcinoma (BDC). A literature review and objective analysis of IHC-stained paraffin sections were used to determine the Ki-67 labeling index and composed a stratification of the NG into NG1, NG2, and NG3/4 categories. A semi-automated image analysis protocol was established to determine the Ki-67 NG in PTC, PAD, and BDC. High intraobserver consistency and moderate interobserver agreement were achieved in the determination of Ki-67 NG in tumor specimens. NG1 and NG2 were lower in PTC than in PAD and BDC. Cox multivariate analysis of PTC after adjusting for age and number of metastatic lymph nodes showed that Ki-67 NG1 and NG2 significantly predicted clinical outcomes. The semi-automated method for quantification of Ki-67 nuclear immunostaining proposed in this study could become a valuable diagnostic and prognostic tool in PTC.
- The Immunological Landscape of M1 and M2 Macrophages and Their Spatial Distribution in Patients with Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma(2023) LABERIANO-FERNANDEZ, Caddie; BALDAVIRA, Camila Machado; MACHADO-RUGOLO, Juliana; TAMEGNON, Auriole; PANDURENGAN, Renganayaki Krishna; AB'SABER, Alexandre Muxfeldt; BALANCIN, Marcelo Luiz; TAKAGAKI, Teresa Yae; NAGAI, Maria Aparecida; CAPELOZZI, Vera Luiza; PARRA, Edwin RogerSimple Summary Identifying biomarkers to guide immunotherapy regimens remains an unmet clinical need in malignant pleural mesothelioma. A potential source of such markers is tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which contribute to the immunosuppressive microenvironment of mesothelioma. By examining distinct subsets of pleural macrophages to identify their gene signatures and protein expression, we found that TAMs preferentially contribute to M2a and M2b phenotypes, and M2a, M2b, and M2c more specifically contributed to immune tolerance. CD206, ARG1, CD274, CD163, and MRP8-14 are potential therapeutic targets in this disease.Abstract Background: Several tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) have shown promise as prognosticators in cancer. Our aim was to validate the importance of TAMs in malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) using a two-stage design. Methods: We explored The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA-MESO) to select immune-relevant macrophage genes in MPM, including M1/M2 markers, as a discovery cohort. This computational cohort was used to create a multiplex immunofluorescence panel. Moreover, a cohort of 68 samples of MPM in paraffin blocks was used to validate the macrophage phenotypes and the co-localization and spatial distribution of these immune cells within the TME and the stromal or tumor compartments. Results: The discovery cohort revealed six immune-relevant macrophage genes (CD68, CD86, CD163, CD206, ARG1, CD274), and complementary genes were differentially expressed by M1 and M2 phenotypes with distinct roles in the tumor microenvironment and were associated with the prognosis. In addition, immune-suppressed MPMs with increased enrichment of CD68, CD86, and CD163 genes and high densities of M2 macrophages expressing CD163 and CD206 proteins were associated with worse overall survival (OS). Interestingly, below-median distances from malignant cells to specific M2a and M2c macrophages were associated with worse OS, suggesting an M2 macrophage-driven suppressive component in these tumors. Conclusions: The interactions between TAMs in situ and, particularly, CD206+ macrophages are highly relevant to patient outcomes. High-resolution technology is important for identifying the roles of macrophage populations in tissue specimens and identifying potential therapeutic candidates in MPM.