Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

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BMJ Publishing Group, Gut, 1(72), p. 129-140, 2022

DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2021-325918

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Inflamed and non-inflamed classes of HCC: a revised immunogenomic classification

This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.
This paper was not found in any repository, but could be made available legally by the author.

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Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

ObjectiveWe previously reported a characterisation of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) immune contexture and described an immune-specific class. We now aim to further delineate the immunogenomic classification of HCC to incorporate features that explain responses/resistance to immunotherapy.DesignWe performed RNA and whole-exome sequencing, T-cell receptor (TCR)-sequencing, multiplex immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry in a novel cohort of 240 HCC patients and validated our results in other cohorts comprising 660 patients.ResultsOur integrative analysis led to define: (1) the inflamed class of HCC (37%), which includes the previously reported immune subclass (22%) and a new immune-like subclass (15%) with high interferon signalling, cytolytic activity, expression of immune-effector cytokines and a more diverse T-cell repertoire. A 20-gene signature was able to capture ~90% of these tumours and is associated with response to immunotherapy. Proteins identified in liquid biopsies recapitulated the inflamed class with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.91; (2) The intermediate class, enriched inTP53mutations (49% vs 29%, p=0.035), and chromosomal losses involving immune-related genes and; (3) the excluded class, enriched inCTNNB1mutations (93% vs 27%, p<0.001) andPTK2overexpression due to gene amplification and promoter hypomethylation.CTNNB1mutations outside the excluded class led to weak activation of the Wnt-βcatenin pathway or occurred in HCCs dominated by high interferon signalling and type I antigen presenting genes.ConclusionWe have characterised the immunogenomic contexture of HCC and defined inflamed and non-inflamed tumours. Two distinctCTNNB1patterns associated with a differential role in immune evasion are described. These features may help predict immune response in HCC.