A novel immune checkpoint for non-small cell lung cancer uncovered

V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) is a novel negative immune checkpoint that has been linked to immunotherapy resistance and might be used as a therapeutic target. It is found overexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients’ lymphocytes that infiltrate the tumor. When it comes to NSCLC, further research is needed to determine the clinical importance and immune microenvironment relevant to VISTA expression on CD4+ T cells, which are key cells of the adaptive immune system. Hence, the researchers from the Weifang Medical University, Weifang Second People’s Hospital and Qingdao University sought to explore the relationship between VISTA expression on CD4+ T cells and NSCLC patient prognosis.

After analyzing tumor tissue samples from NSCLC patients along with VISTA expression on CD4+ T cells, scientists discovered that CD4+ VISTA T cells were significantly more infiltrated in tumor ttissues. The expression of VISTA on CD4⁺ T cells correlated with the reduced overall survival of NSCLC patients and was linked to a high likelihood of secondary cancer development. The cytokines level in tumor tissue of patients with VISTA expression on CD4+ T cells was lower than that in the tissue surrounding the tumor. Therefore, this study suggests that the expression of VISTA on CD4+ T cells could regulate tumor immunity and serve as a prognostic indicator for survival outcomes.

T 細胞活化的 V 域免疫球蛋白抑制因子 (VISTA) 是一種新的陰性免疫檢查點，與免疫治療耐藥性有關，可用作治療靶點。發現它在浸潤腫瘤的非小細胞肺癌 (NSCLC) 患者的淋巴細胞中過度表達。因此，濰坊醫學院、濰坊市第二人民醫院和青島大學的研究人員探索了 CD4+ T 細胞上 VISTA 表達與NSCLC 患者預後之間的關系。

在分析了 NSCLC 患者的腫瘤組織樣本以及 CD4+ T 細胞上的 VISTA 表達後，科學家們發現 CD4+ VISTA T 細胞在腫瘤組織中的浸潤率明顯更高。 CD4+ T 細胞上 VISTA 的表達與 NSCLC 患者的總生存期降低相關，並與繼發性癌症發展的高可能性有關。 CD4+T細胞上VISTA表達的患者腫瘤組織中細胞因子水平低於腫瘤周圍組織。因此，本研究表明，VISTA 在 CD4+ T 細胞上的表達可以調節腫瘤免疫並作為生存結果的預後指標。

Reference: Ma S, Qin L, Wang X, Wang W, Li J, Wang H, Li H, Cai X, Yang Y, Qu M. The Expression of VISTA on CD4+ T Cells Associate with Poor Prognosis and Immune Status in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients. Bosn J of Basic Med Sci [Internet]. 2022Feb.5 [cited 2022Feb.6];. Available from: https://www.bjbms.org/ojs/index.php/bjbms/article/view/6531.

Editor: Merima Bukva, MPharm