An Immune Atlas of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

Cell. 2017 May 4;169(4):736-749.e18. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2017.04.016.

Abstract

Immune cells in the tumor microenvironment modulate cancer progression and are attractive therapeutic targets. Macrophages and T cells are key components of the microenvironment, yet their phenotypes and relationships in this ecosystem and to clinical outcomes are ill defined. We used mass cytometry with extensive antibody panels to perform in-depth immune profiling of samples from 73 clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) patients and five healthy controls. In 3.5 million measured cells, we identified 17 tumor-associated macrophage phenotypes, 22 T cell phenotypes, and a distinct immune composition correlated with progression-free survival, thereby presenting an in-depth human atlas of the immune tumor microenvironment in this disease. This study revealed potential biomarkers and targets for immunotherapy development and validated tools that can be used for immune profiling of other tumor types.

Keywords: T cell; clear cell renal cell carcinoma; immune cell atlas; immunosuppression; macrophage; mass cytometry; single-cell analysis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / immunology*
  • Carcinoma, Renal Cell / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Image Cytometry
  • Immune Tolerance
  • Kidney / cytology
  • Kidney Neoplasms / immunology*
  • Kidney Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / pathology
  • Single-Cell Analysis
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • T-Lymphocytes / pathology
  • Tumor Microenvironment*