HIV status alters immune cell infiltration and activation profile in women with breast cancer

Abstract The breast cancer (BC)-related mortality is higher and the immunity is altered in women living with HIV (WLWH) compared to HIV-negative women. Therefore, tumor samples of 296 black BC patients from South Africa and Namibia with known age, HIV status, tumor stage, hormone receptor and HER2 s...

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Main Authors: Marcus Bauer, Pablo Santos, Andreas Wilfer, Eunice van den Berg, Annelle Zietsman, Martina Vetter, Sandy Kaufhold, Claudia Wickenhauser, Isabel dos-Santos-Silva, Wenlong Carl Chen, Herbert Cubasch, Nivashini Murugan, Valerie McCormack, Maureen Joffe, Barbara Seliger, Eva Kantelhardt
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59408-8
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author Marcus Bauer
Pablo Santos
Andreas Wilfer
Eunice van den Berg
Annelle Zietsman
Martina Vetter
Sandy Kaufhold
Claudia Wickenhauser
Isabel dos-Santos-Silva
Wenlong Carl Chen
Herbert Cubasch
Nivashini Murugan
Valerie McCormack
Maureen Joffe
Barbara Seliger
Eva Kantelhardt
author_facet Marcus Bauer
Pablo Santos
Andreas Wilfer
Eunice van den Berg
Annelle Zietsman
Martina Vetter
Sandy Kaufhold
Claudia Wickenhauser
Isabel dos-Santos-Silva
Wenlong Carl Chen
Herbert Cubasch
Nivashini Murugan
Valerie McCormack
Maureen Joffe
Barbara Seliger
Eva Kantelhardt
author_sort Marcus Bauer
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The breast cancer (BC)-related mortality is higher and the immunity is altered in women living with HIV (WLWH) compared to HIV-negative women. Therefore, tumor samples of 296 black BC patients from South Africa and Namibia with known age, HIV status, tumor stage, hormone receptor and HER2 status and overall survival (OS) are analyzed for components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). WLWH (n = 117), either with suppressed viral activity (HR = 1.25) or with immune suppression (HR = 2.04), have a shorter OS. HIV status is associated with increased numbers of CD8+ T cells in the TME compared to HIV-negative patients; no correlation is found with CD4+ T cell numbers in the blood. Moreover, an increased expression of CD276/B7-H3 and a more pronounced IFN-γ signaling in the tumors are found in WLWH, independent of age, stage, and BC subtypes. In conclusion, altered T cell composition and CD276 expression in WLWH may contribute to inferior survival and can be used for targeted treatment.
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spelling doaj-art-1ff99c86e81643f983a1786b7d7bdd492025-08-20T01:53:23ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-05-0116111410.1038/s41467-025-59408-8HIV status alters immune cell infiltration and activation profile in women with breast cancerMarcus Bauer0Pablo Santos1Andreas Wilfer2Eunice van den Berg3Annelle Zietsman4Martina Vetter5Sandy Kaufhold6Claudia Wickenhauser7Isabel dos-Santos-Silva8Wenlong Carl Chen9Herbert Cubasch10Nivashini Murugan11Valerie McCormack12Maureen Joffe13Barbara Seliger14Eva Kantelhardt15Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Halle, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergGlobal and Planetary Health Working Group, Institute of Medical Epidemiology, Biometrics and Informatics, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergInstitute of Pathology, University Hospital Halle, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergDepartment of Anatomical Pathology, University of the Witwatersrand, National Health Laboratory ServiceAB May Cancer Centre, Windhoek Central HospitalDepartment of Gynecology, University Hospital Halle, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergDepartment of Gynecology, University Hospital Halle, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergInstitute of Pathology, University Hospital Halle, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergDepartment of Non-Communicable Disease Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM)Global and Planetary Health Working Group, Institute of Medical Epidemiology, Biometrics and Informatics, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergDepartment of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the WitwatersrandDepartment of Surgery, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the WitwatersrandInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO), Environment and Lifestyle Epidemiology BranchGlobal and Planetary Health Working Group, Institute of Medical Epidemiology, Biometrics and Informatics, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergMedical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergGlobal and Planetary Health Working Group, Institute of Medical Epidemiology, Biometrics and Informatics, Martin Luther University Halle-WittenbergAbstract The breast cancer (BC)-related mortality is higher and the immunity is altered in women living with HIV (WLWH) compared to HIV-negative women. Therefore, tumor samples of 296 black BC patients from South Africa and Namibia with known age, HIV status, tumor stage, hormone receptor and HER2 status and overall survival (OS) are analyzed for components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). WLWH (n = 117), either with suppressed viral activity (HR = 1.25) or with immune suppression (HR = 2.04), have a shorter OS. HIV status is associated with increased numbers of CD8+ T cells in the TME compared to HIV-negative patients; no correlation is found with CD4+ T cell numbers in the blood. Moreover, an increased expression of CD276/B7-H3 and a more pronounced IFN-γ signaling in the tumors are found in WLWH, independent of age, stage, and BC subtypes. In conclusion, altered T cell composition and CD276 expression in WLWH may contribute to inferior survival and can be used for targeted treatment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59408-8
spellingShingle Marcus Bauer
Pablo Santos
Andreas Wilfer
Eunice van den Berg
Annelle Zietsman
Martina Vetter
Sandy Kaufhold
Claudia Wickenhauser
Isabel dos-Santos-Silva
Wenlong Carl Chen
Herbert Cubasch
Nivashini Murugan
Valerie McCormack
Maureen Joffe
Barbara Seliger
Eva Kantelhardt
HIV status alters immune cell infiltration and activation profile in women with breast cancer
Nature Communications
title HIV status alters immune cell infiltration and activation profile in women with breast cancer
title_full HIV status alters immune cell infiltration and activation profile in women with breast cancer
title_fullStr HIV status alters immune cell infiltration and activation profile in women with breast cancer
title_full_unstemmed HIV status alters immune cell infiltration and activation profile in women with breast cancer
title_short HIV status alters immune cell infiltration and activation profile in women with breast cancer
title_sort hiv status alters immune cell infiltration and activation profile in women with breast cancer
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-59408-8
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