Post-therapeutic microRNA-146a in liquid biopsies may determine prognosis in metastatic gastrointestinal cancer patients receiving 90Y-radioembolization

Hirner-Eppeneder H, Öcal E, Stechele M, Öcal O, Gu S, Kimm MA, Wildgruber M, Salvermoser L, Kazmierczak P, Corradini S, Rudelius M, Piontek G, Pech M, Goldberg SN, Ricke J, Alunni-Fabbroni M (2023)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2023

Journal

Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology Springer Verlag (Germany)

Book Volume: 149

Pages Range: 13017-13026

Journal Issue: 14

DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-05185-0

Abstract

Purpose: The role of microRNA-146a (miR-146a) in defining the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is well established. The aim of this study was to evaluate circulating miR-146a as an early prognostic marker of 90Y-radioembolization (90Y-RE) in metastatic liver cancer and to assess the correlation between circulating miR-146a and TIME cellular composition in distant, yet untreated metastases. Methods: Twenty-one patients with bilobar liver lesions from gastro-intestinal cancer underwent lobar 90Y-RE. Biopsy of contralateral lobe abscopal tumors was acquired at the onset of a second treatment session at a median of 21 days after initial RE, immediately prior to ablation therapy of the contralateral lobe tumor. miR-146a was measured by RT-qPCR in plasma collected 24 h before (T1) and 48 h after (T2) initial unilobar 90Y-RE. The level of miR-146a was correlated with the infiltration of CD4 + , CD8 + , FoxP3 T cells, CD163 + M2 macrophages and immune-exhausted T cells in the abscopal tumor tissue acquired before the second treatment session. Results: Plasma samples collected at T2 showed a higher concentration of miR-146a with respect to T1 in 43% of the patients (p = 0.002). In these patients, tumors revealed a pro-tumorigenic immune composition with enrichment of Tim3 + immune exhausted cells (p = 0.021), in combination with a higher infiltration of CD163 + M2 macrophages and a lower infiltration of CD8 + T cells. Patients with a higher level of miR-146a after 90Y-RE showed a trend to shorter OS (p = 0.055). Conclusion: miR-146a may represent a novel prognostic biomarker for 90Y-radioembolization in metastatic liver cancer.

Involved external institutions

Klinikum der Universität München (LMU Klinikum) DE Germany (DE) Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg DE Germany (DE) Hadassah Medical Center / מרכז רפואי הדסה‎‎ IL Israel (IL)

How to cite

APA:

Hirner-Eppeneder, H., Öcal, E., Stechele, M., Öcal, O., Gu, S., Kimm, M.A.,... Alunni-Fabbroni, M. (2023). Post-therapeutic microRNA-146a in liquid biopsies may determine prognosis in metastatic gastrointestinal cancer patients receiving 90Y-radioembolization. Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, 149(14), 13017-13026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-023-05185-0

MLA:

Hirner-Eppeneder, Heidrun, et al. "Post-therapeutic microRNA-146a in liquid biopsies may determine prognosis in metastatic gastrointestinal cancer patients receiving 90Y-radioembolization." Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology 149.14 (2023): 13017-13026.

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