BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal disease characterized by early genetic alterations in telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (TERTp) and β-catenin (CTNNB1) genes and immune cell activation in the tumor microenvironment. As a novel approach, we wanted to assess patient survival influenced by combined presence of mutations and densities of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. METHODS: Tissue samples were obtained from 67 HCC patients who had undergone resection. We analysed CD8+ T cells density, TERTp mutations, rs2853669 polymorphism, and CTNNB1 mutations. These variables were evaluated for time to recurrence (TTR) and disease free survival (DFS). RESULTS: TERTp mutations were found in 75.8% and CTNNB1 mutations in 35.6% of the patients. TERTp mutations were not associated with survival but polymorphism rs2853669 in TERTp was associated with improved TTR and DFS. CTNNB1 mutations were associated with improving TTR. High density of CD8+ T-lymphocytes in tumor center and invasive margin correlated with longer TTR and DFS. Combined genetic and immune factors further improved survival showing higher predictive values. E.g., combining CTNNB1 mutations and high density of CD8+ T-lymphocytes in tumor center yielded HRs of 0.12 (0.03-0.52), p = 0.005 for TTR and 0.25 (0.09-0.74), p = 0.01 for DFS. CONCLUSION: The results outline a novel integrative approach for prognostication through combining independent predictive factors from genetic and immune cell profiles. However, larger studies are needed to explore multiple cell types in the tumor microenvironment.

• Klíčová slova
• CD8+ cells, Hepatocellular carcinoma, TERT promoter, rs2853669, β-Catenin,
• MeSH
• beta-katenin genetika   MeSH
• CD8-pozitivní T-lymfocyty patologie   MeSH
• hepatocelulární karcinom * genetika   patologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• jednonukleotidový polymorfismus MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mutace MeSH
• nádorové mikroprostředí genetika   MeSH
• nádory jater * genetika   patologie   chirurgie   MeSH
• počet buněk MeSH
• telomerasa * genetika   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• beta-katenin MeSH
• CTNNB1 protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč
• telomerasa * MeSH
• TERT protein, human MeSH Prohlížeč

According to the divergent pathway model, cutaneous melanoma comprises a nevogenic group with a propensity to melanocyte proliferation and another one associated with cumulative solar damage (CSD). While characterized clinically and epidemiologically, the differences in the molecular profiles between the groups have remained primarily uninvestigated. This study has used a custom gene panel and bioinformatics tools to investigate the potential molecular differences in a thoroughly characterized cohort of 119 melanoma patients belonging to nevogenic and CSD groups. We found that the nevogenic melanomas had a restricted set of mutations, with the prominently mutated gene being BRAF. The CSD melanomas, in contrast, showed mutations in a diverse group of genes that included NF1, ROS1, GNA11, and RAC1. We thus provide evidence that nevogenic and CSD melanomas constitute different biological entities and highlight the need to explore new targeted therapies.

• Klíčová slova
• etiopathogeny, melanoma, mutations,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH