Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41796351›Full record

ArticleClinical epigenetics2026

Genebody specific epigenomic reprogramming of transcriptome promotes immune evasion in oropharyngeal cancer patients in North-Eastern India.

Sahana Ghosh, Indranil Bagchi, Lastborn Marthong, Subrata Patra, Neizekhotuo Brian Shunyu, Srimoyee Ghosh, Arindam Maitra

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical epigenetics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Sahana GhoshBRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (BRIC-NIBMG), Kalyani, West Bengal, India.
Indranil BagchiBRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (BRIC-NIBMG), Kalyani, West Bengal, India.
Lastborn MarthongDepartment of Zoology, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, India.
Subrata PatraBRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (BRIC-NIBMG), Kalyani, West Bengal, India.
Neizekhotuo Brian ShunyuDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology (ENT), North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong, India.
Srimoyee GhoshDepartment of Zoology, North Eastern Hill University (NEHU), Shillong, India. srimoyee2009@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6832-2917
Arindam MaitraBRIC-National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (BRIC-NIBMG), Kalyani, West Bengal, India. am1@nibmg.ac.in.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0249-8856

Funding

Department of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. Of India DBT-NER (BT/514/NE/TBP/2013)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSquamous cell carcinoma of oropharynx (OPSCC), a head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) subtype, exhibits a remarkably high incidence rate in the North-Eastern regions of India. The development of OPSCC is associated with the exposure to smokeless tobacco with or without consumption of alcohol and smoking tobacco. Despite advanced treatment modalities, OPSCC patients still face a dismal prognosis, necessitating a deeper exploration of the underlying molecular characteristics of the disease. While promoter CpG methylation-driven gene expression alterations in OPSCC have been studied, DNA methylation within gene bodies and its biological significance in this cancer subtype remain largely uncharted. This study represents the first endeavour to investigate gene-body specific DNA methylation-driven transcriptome alterations leading to immune response modulation on a genome-wide scale in OPSCC.

resultsThe genome-wide assay of DNA methylation and RNA-sequencing in paired tumour and adjacent normal tissues, employing high-throughput platforms (Illumina), identified gene-body specific somatic alterations within the DNA methylome that led to transcriptomic changes in OPSCC patients from Meghalaya. Integrative analysis of gene-body specific methylation and transcriptome data unveiled 98 epigenetically repressed and 39 epigenetically overexpressed genes. Major discoveries emerged from this study include deregulation of Tryptophan (Trp) metabolism pathway by the gene-body driven epigenetically modulated (TDO2, KYNU and TPH2) genes along with the conjoint impact of the upregulated IDO1, IDO2. The IFN-γ mediated PD-L1/PD-1, PD-L2/PD-1 interactions and dysregulation of Trp metabolism pathway collectively contributed to the depletion of cytotoxic T cells in OPSCC tissues. Upregulation of multiple chemokines-CCL2, CXCL1, CXCL2 promoting abundant infiltration of mast cell and neutrophils having pro-tumour phenotype in tumour microenvironment were observed.

conclusionsThese key alterations within tumour cells might effectively modulate the immune dynamics, leading to immune evasion by oropharyngeal malignant cells. The findings offer deep understanding of OPSCC and suggests novel immunotherapeutic targets, for the treatment of this challenging disease.

Indexed as

Immune EvasionOropharyngeal NeoplasmsTranscriptomeDNA MethylationEpigenesis, GeneticEpigenomicsFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansIndiaMaleMiddle AgedEpigenetic regulationGenebody methylationImmune suppressionOropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomaTranscriptomicTumour microenvironment

Identifiers

PMID41796351
PMCPMC13081380

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