Immune landscape of tertiary lymphoid structures in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with neoadjuvant immune checkpoint blockade

Abstract

ABSTRACTNeoadjuvant immunotherapy is thought to produce long-term remissions through induction of antitumor immune responses before removal of the primary tumor. Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS), germinal center-like structures that can arise within tumors, may contribute to the establishment of immunological memory in this setting, but understanding of their role remains limited. Here, we investigated the contribution of TLS to antitumor immunity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treated with neoadjuvant immunotherapy. We found that neoadjuvant immunotherapy induced the formation of TLS, which were associated with superior pathologic response, improved relapse free survival, and expansion of the intratumoral T and B cell repertoire. While TLS in viable tumor displayed a highly active mature morphology, in areas of tumor regression we identified an involuted TLS morphology, which was characterized by dispersion of the B cell follicle and persistence of a T cell zone enriched for ongoing antigen presentation and T cell-mature dendritic cell interactions. Involuted TLS showed increased expression of T cell memory markers and expansion of CD8+cytotoxic and tissue resident memory clonotypes. Collectively, these data reveal the circumstances of TLS dissolution and suggest a functional role for late-stage TLS as sites of T cell memory formation after elimination of viable tumor.Graphical AbstractHighlightsIn patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) are induced by neoadjuvant immunotherapy and are associated with favorable clinical outcomes.TLS within the same tumor demonstrate extensive sharing of expanded granzyme K and granzyme B-expressing CD8+T effector memory clonotypes, but the B cell repertoires of individual TLS are almost wholly distinct, consistent with independent germinal center reactions.Within areas of viable tumor, mature TLS are characterized by high expression of CD21 and CD23, BCL6+germinal center B cells, and close interactions between DCLAMP+mature dendritic cells and CXCR5-CXCR3+CD4 T peripheral helper cells within a T cell zone adjacent to the B cell follicle.Within areas of tumor regression, an involuted TLS morphology is identified that is notable for dissolution of the B cell germinal center, retention of the T cell zone, and increased T cell memory.