Escherichia coli–Specific CXCL13-Producing TFH Are Associated with Clinical Efficacy of Neoadjuvant PD-1 Blockade against Muscle- Invasive Bladder Cancer

Anne-Gaëlle Goubet, Leonardo Lordello, Carolina Alves Costa Silva, Isabelle Peguillet, Marianne Gazzano, Maxime Descartes Mbogning-Fonkou, Cassandra Thelemaque, C. dric Lebacle, Constance Thibault, François Audenet, G. raldine Pignot, Gwenaelle Gravis, Carole Helissey, Luca Campedel, Morgan Roupret, Evanguelos Xylinas, Idir Ouzaid, Agathe Dubuisson, Marine Mazzenga, Caroline FlamentPierre Ly, Virginie Marty, Nicolas Signolle, Allan Sauvat, Thomas Sbarrato, Mounia Filahi, Caroline Davin, Gabriel Haddad, Jacques Bou Khalil, Camille Bleriot, François-Xavier Danlos, Garett Dunsmore, Kevin Mulder, Aymeric Silvin, Thibault Raoult, Baptiste Archambaud, Shaima Belhechmi, Ivo Gomperts Boneca, Nadège Cayet, Maryse Moya-Nilges, Adeline Mallet, Romain Daillere, Etienne Rouleau, Camelia Radulescu, Yves Allory, Jacques Fieschi, Mathieu Rouanne, Florent Ginhoux, Gwénaël le Teuff, Lisa Derosa, Aurélien Marabelle, Jeroen van Dorp, Nick van Dijk, Michiel S. van der Heijden, Benjamin Besse, Fabrice Andre, Miriam Merad, Guido Kroemer, Jean-Yves Scoazec, Laurence Zitvogel, Yohann Loriot

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Biomarkers guiding the neoadjuvant use of immune-checkpoint blockers (ICB) are needed for patients with localized muscle-invasive bladder cancers (MIBC). Pro-filing tumor and blood samples, we found that follicular helper CD4+T cells (TFH) are among the best therapeutic targets of pembrolizumab correlating with progression-free survival. TFH were associated with tumoral CD8 and PD-L1 expression at baseline and the induction of tertiary lymphoid structures after pembrolizumab. Blood central memory TFH accumulated in tumors where they produce CXCL13, a chemokine found in the plasma of responders only. IgG4+CD38+TFH residing in bladder tissues cor-related with clinical benefit. Finally, TFH and IgG directed against urothelium-invasive Escherichia coli dictated clinical responses to pembrolizumab in three independent cohorts. The links between tumor infection and success of ICB immunomodulation should be prospectively assessed at a larger scale. SIGNIFICANCE: In patients with bladder cancer treated with neoadjuvant pembrolizumab, E. coli– specific CXCL13 producing TFH and IgG constitute biomarkers that predict clinical benefit. Beyond its role as a biomarker, such immune responses against E. coli might be harnessed for future therapeutic strategies.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2280-2307
Number of pages28
JournalCancer discovery
Volume12
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2022

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