Claudin-low bladder tumors are immune infiltrated and actively immune suppressed

• Published in: JCI insight Vol. 1; no. 3; p. e85902
• Main Authors: Kardos, Jordan, Chai, Shengjie, Mose, Lisle E, Selitsky, Sara R, Krishnan, Bhavani, Saito, Ryoichi, Iglesia, Michael D, Milowsky, Matthew I, Parker, Joel S, Kim, William Y, Vincent, Benjamin G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society for Clinical Investigation 17.03.2016
• Subjects: Antigens, Neoplasm - metabolism; Chemokines - immunology; Claudins - genetics; Cytokines - immunology; Humans; Immune Tolerance; Leukocytes - immunology; NF-kappa B - metabolism; PPAR gamma - metabolism; Tumor Microenvironment; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - classification; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - genetics; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - immunology
• ISSN: 2379-3708; 2379-3708
• DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.85902

We report the discovery of a claudin-low molecular subtype of high-grade bladder cancer that shares characteristics with the homonymous subtype of breast cancer. Claudin-low bladder tumors were enriched for multiple genetic features including increased rates of , , and mutations; increased frequency of amplification; decreased rates of , , and mutations; and decreased frequency of amplification. While claudin-low tumors showed the highest expression of immune gene signatures, they also demonstrated gene expression patterns consistent with those observed in active immunosuppression. This did not appear to be due to differences in predicted neoantigen burden, but rather was associated with broad upregulation of cytokine and chemokine levels from low activity, allowing unopposed activity. Taken together, these results define a molecular subtype of bladder cancer with distinct molecular features and an immunologic profile that would, in theory, be primed for immunotherapeutic response.