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. 2023 Mar;26(1):207-209.
doi: 10.1038/s41391-022-00498-6. Epub 2022 Jan 20.

Significant changes in macrophage and CD8 T cell densities in primary prostate tumors 2 weeks after SBRT

Nathanael Kane  1 , Tahmineh Romero  2 , Silvia Diaz-Perez  1 , Matthew B Rettig  3 , Michael L Steinberg  1 , Amar U Kishan  1   3 , Dorthe Schaue  1 , Robert E Reiter  3 , Beatrice S Knudsen  4 , Nicholas G Nickols  5   6   7
Affiliations

Significant changes in macrophage and CD8 T cell densities in primary prostate tumors 2 weeks after SBRT

Nathanael Kane et al. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis. 2023 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Radiotherapy impacts the local immune response to cancers. Prostate Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy (SBRT) is a highly focused method to deliver radiotherapy often used to treat prostate cancer. This is the first direct comparison of immune cells within prostate cancers before and after SBRT in patients.

Methods: Prostate cancers before and 2 weeks after SBRT are interrogated by multiplex immune fluorescence targeting various T cells and macrophages markers and analyzed by cell and pixel density, as part of a clinical trial of SBRT neoadjuvant to radical prostatectomy.

Results: Two weeks after SBRT, CD68, and CD163 macrophages are significantly increased while CD8 T cells are decreased. SBRT markedly alters the immune environment within prostate cancers.

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Conflict of interest statement

NN reports research support from Lantheus, Bayer, Janssen, and consulting fees from Oncolinea, outside of the scope of work.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Changes in T cell and macrophage densities before and after prostate SBRT.
A Representative multiplex IF images of a panel of T cell markers in pre-SBRT biopsies (top left) and post- SBRT RP specimens (top right) along with a panel of macrophage cell markers in biopsies (bottom left) and RP (bottom right). Images were taken using ZEN 3.1 imaging software. Sequential slides were cut at 4 µm prior to staining. The T cell panel included immune-fluorescent (IF) antibody-fluorophore pairs CD4-DCC, CD8-Rhod6G, CD3-Red610, FoxP3-Cy5, cytokeratin 8/18-FAM and DAPI. The macrophage panel included CD163-DCC, CD11b-Rhod6G, CD3-Red610, CD68-Cy5, cytokeratin 8/18-FAM and DAPI. B Bar graphs of T cells (top row) and macrophage cells (bottom row) within tumor regions. Means are shown with SEM error bars. T cells are counts of cells per unit area. Macrophages are positive pixels per unit area. C Polar graph using mean log2-fold differences between RP samples and biopsy samples log2(mean of RP/mean of biopsy). *p < 0.05, **p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001. D Clinical and pathologic features of cases analyzed.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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