Analysis of Circulating Immune Subsets in Primary Colorectal Cancer

Lu, Can; Schardey, Josefine; Wirth, Ulrich; von Ehrlich-Treuenstätt, Viktor; Neumann, Jens; Gießen-Jung, Clemens; Werner, Jens; Bazhin, Alexandr V.; Kühn, Florian (2022): Analysis of Circulating Immune Subsets in Primary Colorectal Cancer. Cancers, 14 (24): 6105. ISSN 2072-6694

Abstract

Analysis of Circulating Immune Subsets in Primary Colorectal Cancer Can Lu Josefine Schardey Ulrich Wirth Viktor von Ehrlich-Treuenstätt Jens Neumann http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9200-441X Clemens Gießen-Jung Jens Werner Alexandr V. Bazhin Florian Kühn

The development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) are known to be affected by the interplay between tumor and immune cells. However, the impact of CRC cells on the systemic immunity has yet to be elucidated. We aimed to comprehensively evaluate the circulating immune subsets and transcriptional profiles of CRC patients. In contrast to healthy controls (HCs), CRC patients had a lower percentage of B and T lymphocytes, T helper (Th) cells, non-classical monocytes, dendritic cells, and a higher proportion of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells, as well as a reduced expression of CD69 on NK cells. Therefore, CRC patients exhibit a more evident systemic immune suppression than HCs. A diagnostic model integrating seven immune subsets was constructed to distinguish CRC patients from HCs with an AUC of 1.000. Moreover, NR3C2, CAMK4, and TRAT1 were identified as candidate genes regulating the number of Th cells in CRC patients. The altered composition of circulating immune cells in CRC could complement the regional immune status of the tumor microenvironment and contribute to the discovery of immune-related biomarkers for the diagnosis of CRC.
The development and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) are known to be affected by the interplay between tumor and immune cells. However, the impact of CRC cells on the systemic immunity has yet to be elucidated. We aimed to comprehensively evaluate the circulating immune subsets and transcriptional profiles of CRC patients. In contrast to healthy controls (HCs), CRC patients had a lower percentage of B and T lymphocytes, T helper (Th) cells, non-classical monocytes, dendritic cells, and a higher proportion of polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells, as well as a reduced expression of CD69 on NK cells. Therefore, CRC patients exhibit a more evident systemic immune suppression than HCs. A diagnostic model integrating seven immune subsets was constructed to distinguish CRC patients from HCs with an AUC of 1.000. Moreover, NR3C2, CAMK4, and TRAT1 were identified as candidate genes regulating the number of Th cells in CRC patients. The altered composition of circulating immune cells in CRC could complement the regional immune status of the tumor microenvironment and contribute to the discovery of immune-related biomarkers for the diagnosis of CRC.

• Doc-Type: Article (LMU Hospital)
• Organisational unit (Faculties): 07 Medicine > Medical Center of the University of Munich > Clinic for General, Visceral, Vascular and Transplant Surgery
• DFG subject classification of scientific disciplines: Life sciences
• DFG: Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) - 491502892