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Biomarker; Prediction; Proteomics Biomarcador; Predicción; Proteómica Biomarcador; Predicció; Proteòmica Background High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is the most common and deadly subtype of ovarian cancer. Although most patients will initially respond to first-line treatment with a combination of surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy, up to a quarter will be resistant to treatment. We aimed to identify a new strategy to improve HGSC patient management at the time of cancer diagnosis (HGSC-1LTR). Methods A total of 109 ready-available formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded HGSC tissues obtained at the time of HGSC diagnosis were selected for proteomic analysis. Clinical data, treatment approach and outcomes were collected for all patients. An initial discovery cohort (n = 21) were divided into chemoresistant and chemosensitive groups and evaluated using discovery mass-spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics. Proteins showing differential abundance between groups were verified in a verification cohort (n = 88) using targeted MS-based proteomics. A logistic regression model was used to select those proteins able to correctly classify patients into chemoresistant and chemosensitive. The classification performance of the protein and clinical data combinations were assessed through the generation of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results Using the HGSC-1LTR strategy we have identified a molecular signature (TKT, LAMC1 and FUCO) that combined with ready available clinical data (patients’ age, menopausal status, serum CA125 levels, and treatment approach) is able to predict patient response to first-line treatment with an AUC: 0.82 (95% CI 0.72–0.92). Conclusions We have established a new strategy that combines molecular and clinical parameters to predict the response to first-line treatment in HGSC patients (HGSC-1LTR). This strategy can allow the identification of chemoresistance at the time of diagnosis providing the optimization of therapeutic decision making and the evaluation of alternative treatment strategies. Thus, advancing towards the improvement of patient outcome and the individualization of HGSC patients’ care. This work was supported by the PhD4MD collaborative research program between the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). It has been supported by grants from the Instituto Carlos III (PI18/01017), the Miguel Servet Program (CPII18/00027) and the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad y Fondos FEDER (RTC-2015-3821-1 to AS and CTQ2016-80364-P to ES). This project has also received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 823839 (EPIC-XS).The CRG/UPF Proteomics Unit is part of the Spanish Infrastructure for Omics Technologies (ICTS OmicsTech) and it is supported by “Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya” (2017SGR595 and 2017SGR1661). We also acknowledge support of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation to the EMBL partnership, the Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa and the CERCA Programme / Generalitat de Catalunya.

Ovarian cancer; Proteomics Cáncer de ovarios: Proteómica Càncer d'ovaris; Proteòmica Despite recent advances in the management of BRCA1 mutated high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC), the physiology of these tumors remains poorly understood. Here we provide a comprehensive molecular understanding of the signaling processes that drive HGSC pathogenesis with the addition of valuable ubiquitination profiling, and their dependency on BRCA1 mutation-state directly in patient-derived tissues. Using a multilayered proteomic approach, we show the tight coordination between the ubiquitination and phosphorylation regulatory layers and their role in key cellular processes related to BRCA1-dependent HGSC pathogenesis. In addition, we identify key bridging proteins, kinase activity, and post-translational modifications responsible for molding distinct cancer phenotypes, thus providing new opportunities for therapeutic intervention, and ultimately advance towards a more personalized patient care. This work was supported by the PhD4MD collaborative research program between the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) and the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG). The CRG/UPF Proteomics Unit is part of the Spanish Infrastructure for Omics Technologies (ICTS OmicsTech) and it is a member of the ProteoRed PRB3 consortium which is supported by grant PT17/0019 of the PE I+D+i 2013-2016 from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) and ERDF. We acknowledge support from the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, (CTQ2016-80364-P and “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2013-2017”, SEV-2012-0208), and “Secretaria d’Universitats i Recerca del Departament d’Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya” (2017SGR595 and 2017SGR1661). This project has also received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 823839 (EPIC-XS). It has also been supported by grants from the Instituto Carlos III (PI15/00238, PI18/01017, PI21/00977), the Miguel Servet Program (CP13/00158 and CPII18/00027) and the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad y Fondos FEDER (RTC-2015-3821-1). The authors are grateful to the team members of the Proteomics Unit at the Centre for Genomic Regulation, the Biomedical Research Group in Gynecology at the Vall d’Hebron Institute, the Gynecological Oncology Unit at the Vall d’Hebron Hospital and the Biomedical Research Group in Urology at the Vall d’Hebron Institute for their assistance.

XPO1; BTK; Sistema immunitari innat XPO1; BTK; Sistema inmune innato XPO1; BTK; Innate immune system Background Patients diagnosed with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) often face dismal outcomes due to the limited availability of therapeutic options. PCNSL cells frequently have deregulated B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling, but clinical responses to its inhibition using ibrutinib have been brief. In this regard, blocking nuclear export by using selinexor, which covalently binds to XPO1, can also inhibit BCR signaling. Selinexor crosses the blood–brain barrier and was recently shown to have clinical activity in a patient with refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the CNS. We studied selinexor alone or in combination with ibrutinib in pre-clinical mouse models of PCNSL. Methods Orthotopic xenograft models were established by injecting lymphoma cells into the brain parenchyma of athymic mice. Tumor growth was monitored by bioluminescence. Malignant cells and macrophages were studied by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Results Selinexor blocked tumor growth and prolonged survival in a bioluminescent mouse model, while its combination with ibrutinib further increased survival. CNS lymphoma in mice was infiltrated by tumor-promoting M2-like macrophages expressing PD-1 and SIRPα. Interestingly, treatment with selinexor and ibrutinib favored an anti-tumoral immune response by shifting polarization toward inflammatory M1-like and diminishing PD-1 and SIRPα expression in the remaining tumor-promoting M2-like macrophages. Conclusions These data highlight the pathogenic role of the innate immune microenvironment in PCNSL and provide pre-clinical evidence for the development of selinexor and ibrutinib as a new promising therapeutic option with cytotoxic and immunomodulatory potential. This work was supported by research funding from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (PI17/00950, M.C., PI17/00943, F.B, PI18/01392, P.A., PI16/01278, J.S) cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); Fundación Asociación Española Contra el Cáncer (M.C. and P.A.) and Gilead Fellowships (GLD16/00144, GLD18/00047, F.B). M.C. holds a contract from Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (RYC-2012-12018). S.B. is the recipient of a postdoctoral fellowship from Fundación Alfonso Martin Escudero.

Heterogeneidad intratumoral; Inteligencia artificial; Terapias antitumorales Heterogeneïtat intratumoral; Intel·ligència artificial; Teràpies antitumorals Intratumor heterogeneity; Artificial intelligence; Antitumor therapeutics In this review, we highlight the role of intratumoral heterogeneity, focusing on the clinical and biological ramifications this phenomenon poses. Intratumoral heterogeneity arises through complex genetic, epigenetic, and protein modifications that drive phenotypic selection in response to environmental pressures. Functionally, heterogeneity provides tumors with significant adaptability. This ranges from mutual beneficial cooperation between cells, which nurture features such as growth and metastasis, to the narrow escape and survival of clonal cell populations that have adapted to thrive under specific conditions such as hypoxia or chemotherapy. These dynamic intercellular interplays are guided by a Darwinian selection landscape between clonal tumor cell populations and the tumor microenvironment. Understanding the involved drivers and functional consequences of such tumor heterogeneity is challenging but also promises to provide novel insight needed to confront the problem of therapeutic resistance in tumors. SRYC received support from Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (PI14/01320 and PI17/02247), Redes Temáticas de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RD12/0036/0057), CIBERONC (CB16/12/00363), and Generalitat de Catalunya (AGAUR, 2017 SGR 1799 and 2014 SGR 1131). TA received support from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (grants PI16/00772 and CPII16/00042), co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

HIV viral reservoirs are established very early during infection. Resident memory T cells (TRM) are present in tissues such as the lower female genital tract, but the contribution of this subset of cells to the pathogenesis and persistence of HIV remains unclear. Here, we show that cervical CD4+TRM display a unique repertoire of clusters of differentiation, with enrichment of several molecules associated with HIV infection susceptibility, longevity and self-renewing capacities. These protein profiles are enriched in a fraction of CD4+TRM expressing CD32. Cervical explant models show that CD4+TRM preferentially support HIV infection and harbor more viral DNA and protein than non-TRM. Importantly, cervical tissue from ART-suppressed HIV+ women contain high levels of viral DNA and RNA, being the TRM fraction the principal contributor. These results recognize the lower female genital tract as an HIV sanctuary and identify CD4+TRM as primary targets of HIV infection and viral persistence. Thus, strategies towards an HIV cure will need to consider TRM phenotypes, which are widely distributed in tissues., Using cervical explant models and cervical tissue from ART-suppressed HIV+ women, the authors here show that resident memory T cells (TRM) in the cervical mucosa are preferentially infected and harbor more viral DNA, RNA and protein than non-TRM, suggesting that TRM may serve as viral reservoir in the cervical mucosa.

Altres ajuts: JM-P and NI-U are supported by the Spanish Secretariat of State of Research, Development and Innovation through grant SAF2016-80033-R. MG is supported by a Marie Curie Career Integration Grant (CIG) from the European Commission and by the Pla estratègic de recerca i innovació en salut (PERIS), from the Catalan government. Antigen presenting cells from the cervical mucosa are thought to amplify incoming HIV-1 and spread infection systemically without being productively infected. Yet, the molecular mechanism at the cervical mucosa underlying this viral transmission pathway remains unknown. Here we identified a subset of HLA-DR+ CD14+ CD11c+ cervical DCs at the lamina propria of the ectocervix and the endocervix that expressed the type-I interferon inducible lectin Siglec-1 (CD169), which promoted viral uptake. In the cervical biopsy of a viremic HIV-1+ patient, Siglec-1+ cells harbored HIV-1-containing compartments, demonstrating that in vivo, these cells trap viruses. Ex vivo, a type-I interferon antiviral environment enhanced viral capture and trans-infection via Siglec-1. Nonetheless, HIV-1 transfer via cervical DCs was effectively prevented with antibodies against Siglec-1. Our findings contribute to decipher how cervical DCs may boost HIV-1 replication and promote systemic viral spread from the cervical mucosa, and highlight the importance of including inhibitors against Siglec-1 in microbicidal strategies.

The identification of exclusive markers to target HIV-reservoir cells will represent a significant advance in the search for therapies to cure HIV. Here, we identify the B lymphocyte antigen CD20 as a marker for HIV-infected cells in vitro and in vivo. The CD20 molecule is dimly expressed in a subpopulation of CD4-positive (CD4+) T lymphocytes from blood, with high levels of cell activation and heterogeneous memory phenotypes. In lymph node samples from infected patients, CD20 is present in productively HIV-infected cells, and ex vivo viral infection selectively upregulates the expression of CD20 during early infection. In samples from patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) this subpopulation is significantly enriched in HIV transcripts, and the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody Rituximab induces cell killing, which reduces the pool of HIV-expressing cells when combined with latency reversal agents. We provide a tool for targeting this active HIV-reservoir after viral reactivation in patients while on ART., Here, the authors identify B lymphocyte antigen CD20 as a marker for HIV-infected T cells and provide evidence for the potential use of anti-CD20 antibodies in combination with latency reversing agents for depletion of viral reactivated CD4 T cells in patients on antiretroviral therapy.