1. Naturally Occurring Telomerase-Specific CD4 T-Cell Immunity in Melanoma.
- Author
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Nardin C, Laheurte C, Puzenat E, Boullerot L, Ramseyer M, Marguier A, Jacquin M, Godet Y, Aubin F, and Adotevi O
- Subjects
- Adult, Aged, Drug Resistance, Neoplasm immunology, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors pharmacology, Male, Melanoma blood, Melanoma drug therapy, Melanoma mortality, Middle Aged, Neoplasm Staging, Progression-Free Survival, Prospective Studies, Skin Neoplasms blood, Skin Neoplasms drug therapy, Skin Neoplasms mortality, Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors therapeutic use, Melanoma immunology, Skin Neoplasms immunology, Telomerase immunology, Th1 Cells immunology
- Abstract
CD4 T cells play a key role in anticancer immunity. In this study, we investigate the clinical relevance of circulating CD4 T helper type 1 (Th1) response against telomerase (anti-TERT Th1 response) in patients with melanoma. The spontaneous anti-TERT Th1 response was detected in 54.5% (85/156) of patients with melanoma before treatment. The prevalence of this systemic response was inversely related to Breslow thickness >1 mm and American Joint Committee on Cancer stage ≥II (P = 0.001 and 0.032, respectively). In contrast to patients treated with targeted therapies, the anti-TERT Th1 immunity was associated with an objective response after immune checkpoint inhibitors treatment. Hence, 86% (18/21) of responder patients exhibited pre-existing anti-TERT Th1 versus 35% (6/19) in nonresponders (P = 0.001). This response was also associated with increased progression-free survival and overall survival in patients with melanoma treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (P = 0.0008 and 0.012, respectively). Collectively, the presence of circulating anti-TERT Th1 response is inversely related to melanoma evolution and appears to be a predictive factor of response to immunotherapy. Our results highlight the interest in telomerase-specific CD4 Th1 response as a promising blood-based biomarker of immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy in melanoma., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2022
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