Transcriptional profiling identifies an interferon-associated host immune response in invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and basal cell carcinoma (BCC) represent the 2 most common types of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Both derive from keratinocytes but show a distinct biological behavior. Here we present transcriptional profiling data of a large cohort of tumor patients (SCC, n = 42; BCC, n = 114). Differentially expressed genes reflect known features of SCC and BCC including the typical cytokeratin pattern as well as upregulation of characteristic cell proliferation genes. Additionally, we found increased expression of interferon (IFN)-regulated genes (including IFI27, IFI30, Mx1, IRF1 and CXCL9) in SCC, and to a lower extent in BCC. The expression of IFN-regulated genes correlated with the extent of the lesional immune-cell infiltrate. Immunohistological examinations confirmed the expression of IFN-regulated genes in association with a CXCR3+ cytotoxic inflammatory infiltrate on the protein level. Of note, a small subset of SCC samples with low expression of IFN-regulated genes included most organ transplant recipients receiving immunosuppressive medication. Collectively, our findings support the concept that IFN-associated host responses play an important role in tumor immunosurveillance in the skin.
Wenzel
Joerg
J
Department of Dermatology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany. joerg.wenzel@ukb.uni-bonn.de
Tomiuk
Stefan
S
Zahn
Sabine
S
Küsters
Daniel
D
Vahsen
Anja
A
Wiechert
Andreas
A
Mikus
Sandra
S
Birth
Michael
M
Scheler
Marina
M
von Bubnoff
Dagmar
D
Baron
Jens M
JM
Merk
Hans F
HF
Mauch
Cornelia
C
Krieg
Thomas
T
Bieber
Thomas
T
Bosio
Andreas
A
Hofmann
Kay
K
Tüting
Thomas
T
Peters
Bettina
B
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007372:Interferons / Q000276:immunology*; D007633:Keratins / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D018295:Neoplasms, Basal Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
D007633:Keratins; D007372:Interferons