Faculty Bibliography

In lung cancer, enrichment of the lower airway microbiota with oral commensals commonly occurs and ex vivo models support that some of these bacteria can trigger host transcriptomic signatures associated with carcinogenesis. Here, we show that this lower airway dysbiotic signature was more prevalent in group IIIB-IV TNM stage lung cancer and is associated with poor prognosis, as shown by decreased survival among subjects with early stage disease (I-IIIA) and worse tumor progression as measured by RECIST scores among subjects with IIIB-IV stage disease. In addition, this lower airway microbiota signature was associated with upregulation of IL-17, PI3K, MAPK and ERK pathways in airway transcriptome, and we identified Veillonella parvula as the most abundant taxon driving this association. In a KP lung cancer model, lower airway dysbiosis with V. parvula led to decreased survival, increased tumor burden, IL-17 inflammatory phenotype and activation of checkpoint inhibitor markers.

The paucity of genetically informed, immune-competent tumor models impedes evaluation of conventional, targeted, and immune therapies. By engineering mouse fallopian tube epithelial organoids using lentiviral gene transduction and/or CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis, we generated multiple high grade serous tubo-ovarian carcinoma (HGSC) models exhibiting mutational combinations seen in HGSC patients. Detailed analysis of homologous recombination (HR)-proficient (Tp53-/-;Ccne1OE;Akt2OE ;KrasOE), HR-deficient (Tp53-/-;Brca1-/-;MycOE), and unclassified (Tp53-/-;Pten-/-;Nf1-/-) organoids revealed differences in in vitro properties (proliferation, differentiation, "secretome"), copy number aberrations, and tumorigenicity. Tumorigenic organoids had variable sensitivity to HGSC chemotherapeutics, evoked distinct immune microenvironments that could be modulated by neutralizing organoid-produced chemokines/cytokines. These findings enabled development of a chemotherapy/immunotherapy regimen that yielded durable, T-cell dependent responses in Tp53-/-;Ccne1OE;Akt2OE;Kras HGSC; by contrast, Tp53-/-;Pten-/-;Nf1-/- tumors failed to respond. Mouse and human HGSC models showed genotype-dependent similarities in chemosensitivity, secretome, and immune microenvironment. Genotype-informed, syngeneic organoid models could provide a platform for the rapid evaluation of tumor biology and therapeutics.

Rationale Cross-sectional human data suggest that enrichment of oral anaerobic bacteria in the lung is associated with increased Th17 inflammatory phenotype. In this study we evaluated the microbial and host immune response dynamics after aspiration with a oral commensals using a preclinical mouse model. Methods Aspiration with a mixture of human oral commensals (MOC; Prevotella melaninogenica, Veillonella parvula, and Streptococcus mitis) was modeled in mice followed by variable time of sacrifice. Genetic background of mice included WT, MyD88 knock out and STAT3C. Measurements 16S rRNA gene sequencing characterized changes in microbiota. Flow cytometry, cytokine measurement via Luminex and RNA host transcriptome sequencing was used to characterize host immune phenotype. Main Results While MOC aspiration correlated with lower airway dysbiosis that resolved within five days, it induced an extended inflammatory response associated with IL17-producing T-cells lasting at least 14 days. MyD88 expression was required for the IL-17 response to MOC aspiration, but not for T-cell activation or IFN-γ expression. MOC aspiration prior to a respiratory challenge with S. pneumoniae led to a decreased in host's susceptibility to this pathogen. Conclusions Thus, in otherwise healthy mice, a single aspiration event with oral commensals are rapidly cleared from the lower airways, but induce a prolonged Th17 response that secondarily decreased susceptibility to respiratory pathogens. Translationally, these data implicate an immuno-protective role of episodic microaspiration of oral microbes in the regulation of the lung immune phenotype and mitigation of host susceptibility to infection with lower airway pathogens.

An increasing number of technologies combine spatial discrimination with molecule identification, as has been done for decades through immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. The difference is that now a sleuth of commercially available platforms promises to significantly increase the number of targets that can be identified on a single sample. They also provide higher throughput in terms of number of samples that can be interrogated, and some offer semiautomation with straightforward sample preparation. All these characteristics set up the new spatial profiling technologies as attractive candidates for biomedical research facilities. However, to be able to discriminate between them it is necessary to share real world experiences using them in our cores. This panel session brings together several researchers with hands on experience using two or more spatial profiling technologies. These will include antibody based (Opal/Vectra Polaris, Ultivue, MIBI, Hyperion) and nucleic acid (Visium, GeoMx) based platforms. Each panelist will give a quick overview of the technology, its biochemical principles, costs, advantages and disadvantages as they have identified them and compared them to each other or a gold standard, if available. At the end, we will have an open discussion where the audience is encouraged to ask questions and provide their experiences

In-situ hybridization (ISH) analysis is a highly desirable, versatile approach for assessing biomarker expression status in a spatial context. Most researchers rely on immunostaining (protein targets) or qPCR (mRNA). However, not all proteins can be immunolabeled due to a lack of well-validated antibodies. The qPCR approach, although highly specific, cannot provide spatial information. RNAscope employs a unique double Z probe that has to bind to the target RNA in tandem in order to be recognized by the preamplifiers and amplifiers. A fluorescent/chromogenic labeled probe then binds to the multiple binding sites of the amplifiers, which improves detection of low expressing RNA and reduces non-specific binding. RNAscope replaces cumbersome radioactive and chromogenic ISH with more hassle-free chromogen and fluorescence-labelled probes. At the NYULMC Experimental Pathology Core we have integrated RNAscope with Polaris multispectral imaging and quantitative analysis using different software platforms. About 21 laboratories have used this workflow to address their specific questions. We have also established and validated the newer BaseScopeTM assay. In contrast to RNAscope, which targets lncRNA and mRNA sequences greater than 300nt, BaseScopeTM enables detection of short RNA target sequences between 50-300nt. It can be used to detect exon junctions/splice variants, circular RNA, pre-miRNA, and point mutations. We adapted BaseScopeTM to co-detect circular RNA and its linear counterpart in a differentiating cell population, which could not be established on glass chamber slides and had to be stained on a plastic petri dish. In conclusion, RNAscope and BaseScopeTM RNA-ISH are powerful alternative strategies for assessing the spatial distribution of critical biomarkers within intact tissues and cells. This approach coupled with sophisticated imaging modalities and downstream analysis support provides new collaborative opportunities for Core aboratories.
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Despite remarkable responses to cancer immunotherapy in a subset of patients, many patients remain resistant to therapies. It is now clear that elevated levels of tumor-infiltrating T cells as well as a systemic anti-tumor immune response are requirements for successful immunotherapies. However, the tumor microenvironment imposes an additional resistance mechanism to immunotherapy. We have developed a practical and improved strategy for cancer immunotherapy using an oncolytic virus and anti-OX40. This strategy takes advantage of a preexisting T cell immune repertoire in vivo, removing the need to know about present tumor antigens. We have shown in this study that the replication-deficient oncolytic Sindbis virus vector expressing interleukin-12 (IL-12) (SV.IL12) activates immune-mediated tumor killing by inducing OX40 expression on CD4 T cells, allowing the full potential of the agonistic anti-OX40 antibody. The combination of SV.IL12 with anti-OX40 markedly changes the transcriptome signature and metabolic program of T cells, driving the development of highly activated terminally differentiated effector T cells. These metabolically reprogrammed T cells demonstrate enhanced tumor infiltration capacity as well as anti-tumor activity capable of overcoming the repressive tumor microenvironment. Our findings identify SV.IL12 in combination with anti-OX40 to be a novel and potent therapeutic strategy that can cure multiple types of low-immunogenic solid tumors.

A subset of B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) patients will relapse and succumb to therapy-resistant disease. The bone marrow microenvironment may support B-ALL progression and treatment evasion. Utilizing single-cell approaches, we demonstrate B-ALL bone marrow immune microenvironment remodeling upon disease initiation and subsequent re-emergence during conventional chemotherapy. We uncover a role for non-classical monocytes in B-ALL survival, and demonstrate monocyte abundance at B-ALL diagnosis is predictive of pediatric and adult B-ALL patient survival. We show that human B-ALL blasts alter a vascularized microenvironment promoting monocytic differentiation, while depleting leukemia-associated monocytes in B-ALL animal models prolongs disease remission in vivo. Our profiling of the B-ALL immune microenvironment identifies extrinsic regulators of B-ALL survival supporting new immune-based therapeutic approaches for high-risk B-ALL treatment.

Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) ligation delimits immunogenic responses in T cells. However, the consequences of programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) ligation in T cells are uncertain. We found that T cell expression of PD-L1 in cancer was regulated by tumor antigen and sterile inflammatory cues. PD-L1⁺ T cells exerted tumor-promoting tolerance via three distinct mechanisms: (1) binding of PD-L1 induced STAT3-dependent 'back-signaling' in CD4⁺ T cells, which prevented activation, reduced T_H1-polarization and directed T_H17-differentiation. PD-L1 signaling also induced an anergic T-bet^-IFN-γ^- phenotype in CD8⁺ T cells and was equally suppressive compared to PD-1 signaling; (2) PD-L1⁺ T cells restrained effector T cells via the canonical PD-L1-PD-1 axis and were sufficient to accelerate tumorigenesis, even in the absence of endogenous PD-L1; (3) PD-L1⁺ T cells engaged PD-1⁺ macrophages, inducing an alternative M2-like program, which had crippling effects on adaptive antitumor immunity. Collectively, we demonstrate that PD-L1⁺ T cells have diverse tolerogenic effects on tumor immunity.

Background/Purpose : T and B cells come together in ectopic lymphoid aggregates in myositis, suggesting that local T:B cell interactions could play a role in disease. T follicular helper cells are increased in circulation in patients with active myositis. We studied circulating Tfh cells from myositis patients using single-cell RNA-sequencing and examined the proximity of Tfh cells to B cells in patient biopsies. Methods : Tfh cells [CD3 + CXCR5 + PD-1 + CXCR3 neg and CD3 + CXCR5 + PD-1 + CXCR3 pos ] cells were sorted from peripheral blood and subsets were identified by chemokine markers to designate Tfh1 and Tfh2/17 cell subsets. RNA sequencing was performed on individual cells of (3 controls and 3 myositis patients) using Fluidigm C1 HT platform, and data were analyzed using a pseudo-temporal ordering using Monocle. Biopsies were stained using the OPAL standardized sequential immunofluorescence method for PD-1, CXCR5, CD19, and CD4 in human muscle, and machine learning was used to map proximity of B cells to all T-cells compared with Tfh cells. Results : We found various subsets within the Tfh pool, corresponding to Tfh1 and Tfh2/17 cells and some cells that looked to be transitioning between states. Tfh2/17 were enriched in myositis patients vs. controls. The Tfh2/17 cells demonstrated a type I interferon signature, while the Tfh1 cells had a type II interferon and proteasome signature. In tissue, we demonstrate Tfh cells in close proximity to B cells in lymphoid aggregates. Conclusion : Tfh cells are present in myositis biopsies juxtaposed to B cells, suggesting productive T:B interactions in the tissue. Tfh subsets in blood from patients demonstrate distinct pathological signatures when compared to controls

Identification of biomarkers is a major goal of personalized medicine. Large transcriptome screens have identified new targets and molecular signatures for disease sub-types. However, tissue spatial information, which fundamentally alters in vivo cell behavior and gene expression, is lost. To understand spatial context and validate bulk tissue screens, most researchers rely exclusively on antibodies and immunostaining assays. Unfortunately, this is either not the appropriate choice for some targets, such as long non-coding RNAs, or it is not feasible because no reliable antibodies exist. To address these issues, we have established an alternative work-flow incorporating RNA in situ hybridization (CISH and FISH), whole slide and/or multispectral scanning and image analysis. Methods: RNAscope technology; Leica SCN scanner or Vectra3 multispectral imaging system for image acquisition; ImageJ2/FIJI, R, InForm and Visiopharm software platforms for quantitative analysis. Results: Several laboratories have used this workflow to address their specific questions. For example, we established and validated RNAscope assays for signaling factor transcripts, which are now integrated into an ongoing clinical trial. In this case, all tested commercial antibodies failed the validation assay. We also assessed expression of LNC RNAs in prostate cancer and put in place protocols for normalizing probe quantification across samples. The analysis revealed that storage and/or sample preparation affected the detection of certain LNC RNAs more than others identifying important factors regarding banking specimens. Spatial heat map visualization of RNAscope probes revealed an unexpected distribution of inflammatory cytokine targets in the kidney which are now being further investigated. In conclusion, RNA ISH is a powerful alternative strategy for assessing the spatial distribution of specific cell populations and critical biomarkers within intact tissues. This approach coupled with sophisticated imaging modalities and downstream analysis support provides new collaborative opportunities for Core laboratories.