Mechanistic insight for T-cell exclusion by cancer-associated fibroblasts in human lung cancer

The tumor stroma consists mainly of extracellular matrix, fibroblasts, immune cells, and vasculature. Its structure and functions are altered during malignancy: tumor cells transform fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblasts, which exhibit immunosuppressive activities on which growth and metast...

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Main Authors: Joseph Ackermann, Chiara Bernard, Philemon Sirven, Helene Salmon, Massimiliano Fraldi, Martine D Ben Amar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eLife Sciences Publications Ltd 2025-04-01
Series:eLife
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Online Access:https://elifesciences.org/articles/101885
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author Joseph Ackermann
Chiara Bernard
Philemon Sirven
Helene Salmon
Massimiliano Fraldi
Martine D Ben Amar
author_facet Joseph Ackermann
Chiara Bernard
Philemon Sirven
Helene Salmon
Massimiliano Fraldi
Martine D Ben Amar
author_sort Joseph Ackermann
collection DOAJ
description The tumor stroma consists mainly of extracellular matrix, fibroblasts, immune cells, and vasculature. Its structure and functions are altered during malignancy: tumor cells transform fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblasts, which exhibit immunosuppressive activities on which growth and metastasis depend. These include exclusion of immune cells from the tumor nest, cancer progression, and inhibition of T-cell-based immunotherapy. To understand these complex interactions, we measure the density of different cell types in the stroma using immunohistochemistry techniques on tumor samples from lung cancer patients. We incorporate these data into a minimal dynamical system, explore the variety of outcomes, and finally establish a spatio-temporal model that explains the cell distribution. We reproduce that cancer-associated fibroblasts act as a barrier to tumor expansion, but also reduce the efficiency of the immune response. Our conclusion is that the final outcome depends on the parameter values for each patient and leads to either tumor invasion, persistence, or eradication as a result of the interplay between cancer cell growth, T-cell cytotoxicity, and fibroblast activity. However, despite the existence of a wide range of scenarios, distinct trajectories, and patterns allow quantitative predictions that may help in the selection of new therapies and personalized protocols.
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spelling doaj-art-a22bc9abb4b64dd0bdf0d1a6d02458102025-08-20T02:16:33ZengeLife Sciences Publications LtdeLife2050-084X2025-04-011310.7554/eLife.101885Mechanistic insight for T-cell exclusion by cancer-associated fibroblasts in human lung cancerJoseph Ackermann0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9218-6655Chiara Bernard1Philemon Sirven2Helene Salmon3Massimiliano Fraldi4Martine D Ben Amar5https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9132-2053Laboratoire Jean Perrin, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France; Laboratoire de Physique de l’Ecole normale supérieure, ENS, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, Paris, FranceDepartment of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, ItalyInstitut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM, Paris, FranceInstitut Curie, PSL Research University, INSERM, Paris, FranceLaboratoire de Physique de l’Ecole normale supérieure, ENS, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Naples "Federico II", Naples, ItalyLaboratoire de Physique de l’Ecole normale supérieure, ENS, Université PSL, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France; Institut Universitaire de Cancérologie, Faculté de médecine, Sorbonne Université, Paris, FranceThe tumor stroma consists mainly of extracellular matrix, fibroblasts, immune cells, and vasculature. Its structure and functions are altered during malignancy: tumor cells transform fibroblasts into cancer-associated fibroblasts, which exhibit immunosuppressive activities on which growth and metastasis depend. These include exclusion of immune cells from the tumor nest, cancer progression, and inhibition of T-cell-based immunotherapy. To understand these complex interactions, we measure the density of different cell types in the stroma using immunohistochemistry techniques on tumor samples from lung cancer patients. We incorporate these data into a minimal dynamical system, explore the variety of outcomes, and finally establish a spatio-temporal model that explains the cell distribution. We reproduce that cancer-associated fibroblasts act as a barrier to tumor expansion, but also reduce the efficiency of the immune response. Our conclusion is that the final outcome depends on the parameter values for each patient and leads to either tumor invasion, persistence, or eradication as a result of the interplay between cancer cell growth, T-cell cytotoxicity, and fibroblast activity. However, despite the existence of a wide range of scenarios, distinct trajectories, and patterns allow quantitative predictions that may help in the selection of new therapies and personalized protocols.https://elifesciences.org/articles/101885tumor microenvironmentimmune responselung cancerdynamical systemmixture modelOnsager's variational principle
spellingShingle Joseph Ackermann
Chiara Bernard
Philemon Sirven
Helene Salmon
Massimiliano Fraldi
Martine D Ben Amar
Mechanistic insight for T-cell exclusion by cancer-associated fibroblasts in human lung cancer
eLife
tumor microenvironment
immune response
lung cancer
dynamical system
mixture model
Onsager's variational principle
title Mechanistic insight for T-cell exclusion by cancer-associated fibroblasts in human lung cancer
title_full Mechanistic insight for T-cell exclusion by cancer-associated fibroblasts in human lung cancer
title_fullStr Mechanistic insight for T-cell exclusion by cancer-associated fibroblasts in human lung cancer
title_full_unstemmed Mechanistic insight for T-cell exclusion by cancer-associated fibroblasts in human lung cancer
title_short Mechanistic insight for T-cell exclusion by cancer-associated fibroblasts in human lung cancer
title_sort mechanistic insight for t cell exclusion by cancer associated fibroblasts in human lung cancer
topic tumor microenvironment
immune response
lung cancer
dynamical system
mixture model
Onsager's variational principle
url https://elifesciences.org/articles/101885
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AT helenesalmon mechanisticinsightfortcellexclusionbycancerassociatedfibroblastsinhumanlungcancer
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