Identification of tumor immunophenotypes associated with immunotherapy response in bladder cancer

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study aims to reveal immunophenotypes associated with immunotherapy response in bladder cancer, identify the signature genes of immune subtypes, and provide new molecular targets for improving immunotherapy response.MethodsBladder cancer immunophenotypes were characterized in the bulk RNA sequencing dataset GSE32894 and Imvigor210, and gene expression signatures were established to identify the immunophenotypes. Expression of gene signatures were validated in single‐cell RNA sequencing dataset GSE145140 and human proteins expression data source. Investigation of Immunotherapy Response was performed in IMvigor210 dataset. Prognosis of tumor immunophenotypes was further analyzed.ResultsInflamed and immune‐excluded immunophenotypes were characterized based on the tumor immune cell scores. Risk score models that were established rely on RNA sequencing profiles and overall survival of bladder cancer cohorts. The inflamed tumors had lower risk scores, and the low‐risk tumors were more likely to respond to atezolizumab, receiving complete response/partial response (CR/PR). Patients who responded to atezolizumab had higher SRRM4 and lower NPHS1 and TMEM72 expression than the non‐responders. SRRM4 expression was a protective factor for bladder cancer prognosis, while the NPHS1 and TMEM72 showed the opposite pattern.ConclusionThis study provided a novel classification method for tumor immunophenotypes. Bladder cancer immunophenotypes can predict the response to immune checkpoint blockade. The immunophenotypes can be identified by the expression of signature genes.

Editorial Comment to Identification of tumor immunophenotypes associated with immunotherapy response in bladder cancer

“…Against this background, the recent study by Cheng et al addressed the clinically important unmet need for the prediction of ICI efficacy. 5 For this, authors assessed publicly available UC gene expression datasets to selected immune infiltration-related genes. Using these genes they defined two distinct gene expression-based immunophenotypes: inflamed and excluded, which were subsequently subjected to detailed analysis.…”