Clonally Expanded T Cells Reveal Immunogenicity of Rhabdoid Tumors

Publication date: Available online 7 November 2019Source: Cancer CellAuthor(s): Amaury Leruste, Jimena Tosello, Rodrigo Nalio Ramos, Arnault Tauziède-Espariat, Solène Brohard, Zhi-Yan Han, Kevin Beccaria, Mamy Andrianteranagna, Pamela Caudana, Jovan Nikolic, Céline Chauvin, Leticia Laura Niborski, Valeria Manriquez, Wilfrid Richer, Julien Masliah-Planchon, Sandrine Grossetête-Lalami, Mylene Bohec, Sonia Lameiras, Sylvain Baulande, Celio PouponnotSummaryRhabdoid tumors (RTs) are genomically simple pediatric cancers driven by the biallelic inactivation of SMARCB1, leading to SWI/SNF chromatin remodeler complex deficiency. Comprehensive evaluation of the immune infiltrates of human and mice RTs, including immunohistochemistry, bulk RNA sequencing and DNA methylation profiling studies showed a high rate of tumors infiltrated by T and myeloid cells. Single-cell RNA (scRNA) and T cell receptor sequencing highlighted the heterogeneity of these cells and revealed therapeutically targetable exhausted effector and clonally expanded tissue resident memory CD8+ T subpopulations, likely representing tumor-specific cells. Checkpoint blockade therapy in an experimental RT model induced the regression of established tumors and durable immune responses. Finally, we show that one mechanism mediating RTs immunogenicity involves SMARCB1-dependent re-expression of endogenous retroviruses and interferon-signaling activation.Graphical Abstract
Source: Cancer Cell - Category: Cancer & Oncology Source Type: research