Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40940814›Full record

ArticleCells2025

Ectopic HLA-II Expression in ESCC: Exploration of Its Relationship with Neoantigen Burden and Patient Survival.

Yupei Ji, Zhizhong Wang, Zhenguo Cheng, Shuangshuang Lu, Nick R Lemoine, Renato Baleeiro, Louisa S Chard Dunmall, Yaohe Wang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cells, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Yupei JiSino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.ORCID 0009-0000-8655-5645
Zhizhong WangDepartment of Molecular Pathology, Henan Provincial Tumor Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450008, China.
Zhenguo ChengSino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
Shuangshuang LuSino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.ORCID 0000-0002-8144-1830
Nick R LemoineSino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
Renato BaleeiroCentre for Cancer Biomarkers & Biotherapeutics, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7568-7570
Louisa S Chard DunmallCentre for Cancer Biomarkers & Biotherapeutics, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.ORCID 0000-0003-2380-0900
Yaohe WangSino-British Research Centre for Molecular Oncology, National Centre for International Research in Cell and Gene Therapy, State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2367-6313

Funding

Medical Research Council UK MR/V006053/1MRC research grant (MR/V006053/1)the National Key R&D programme of China (2016YFE0200800)the Nature Sciences Foundation of China (U1704282, U1904148, 82172941 and 81771776)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Ectopic expression of human leukocyte antigen class II (HLA-II) on tumor cells correlates with anti-tumor immunity and prognosis in various cancers, but its role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear.

methodsHLA-II expression was evaluated in 34 ESCC tissue sections and a 102-sample tissue microarray (TMA) using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and in 10 ESCC cell lines via flow cytometry. Transcriptome sequencing of KYSE270, KYSE180, KYSE450, and KYSE510 was performed to investigate HLA-II regulatory mechanisms, while tumor samples from 104 ESCC patients were analyzed for neoantigen load. The prognostic significance of neoantigen burden was assessed using Cox regression.

resultsHLA-II was ectopically expressed in ESCC, with positivity rates of 20.59% (34 tissues) and 25.49% (TMA). Among 10 ESCC cell lines, only KYSE270 exhibited spontaneous HLA-II expression. Transcriptome analysis revealed 1278 KYSE270-specific genes enriched in immune-related pathways (e.g., "Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction"), suggesting immune-mediated HLA-II regulation. IFN-γ stimulation induced HLA-II expression in KYSE180, KYSE450, and KYSE510, indicating broader inducible HLA-II potential. In 104 patients, MHC-II-restricted neoantigen burden varied widely (0-75) and lacked direct correlation with HLA-II expression. Additionally, MHC-II-restricted neoantigen load was not significantly associated with overall survival (

conclusionEctopic HLA-II expression in ESCC may influence the tumor immune microenvironment, while the prognostic value of MHC-II-restricted neoantigen burden in ESCC remains unclear, providing potential implications for immunotherapy strategies.

Indexed as

Antigens, NeoplasmEsophageal NeoplasmsEsophageal Squamous Cell CarcinomaHistocompatibility Antigens Class IIAgedCell Line, TumorFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisAntigens, NeoplasmHistocompatibility Antigens Class IIesophageal squamous cell carcinomaHLA-IIimmune microenvironmentimmunohistochemistryneoantigenprognosistranscriptomics

Identifiers

PMID40940814
PMCPMC12427808

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.