Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41850041›Full record

ArticleESMO open2026

Molecular immune signature identifies microglia and NK cell infiltration as a favorable prognostic marker in adult-type high-grade glioma.

M Patanè, L Abballe, S Patrizi, M Canale, A Ciolfi, L Pedace, C Antonacci, F Vinciarelli, E Lazzarini, M Tartaglia and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

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

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

M PatanèNeuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta (FINCB), Milan, Italy.
L AbballeOnco-Hematology, Cell Therapy, Gene Therapies and Hemopoietic Transplant, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
S PatriziOnco-Hematology, Cell Therapy, Gene Therapies and Hemopoietic Transplant, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
M CanaleBiosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) 'Dino Amadori', Meldola, Italy.
A CiolfiMolecular Genetics and Functional Genomics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
L PedaceOnco-Hematology, Cell Therapy, Gene Therapies and Hemopoietic Transplant, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
C AntonacciOnco-Hematology, Cell Therapy, Gene Therapies and Hemopoietic Transplant, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
F VinciarelliOnco-Hematology, Cell Therapy, Gene Therapies and Hemopoietic Transplant, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
E LazzariniBasic and Translational Oncology Unit, Istituto Oncologico Veneto (IOV)-IRCCS, Padua, Italy.
M TartagliaMolecular Genetics and Functional Genomics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
L CapelliBiosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) 'Dino Amadori', Meldola, Italy.
E ChiadiniBiosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) 'Dino Amadori', Meldola, Italy.
D CalistriBiosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) 'Dino Amadori', Meldola, Italy.
F LocatelliOnco-Hematology, Cell Therapy, Gene Therapies and Hemopoietic Transplant, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Life Sciences and Public Health, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
B PolloNeuropathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta (FINCB), Milan, Italy.
S IndraccoloBasic and Translational Oncology Unit, Istituto Oncologico Veneto (IOV)-IRCCS, Padua, Italy; Department of Surgery Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
E AnghileriNeuro-Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta (FINCB), Milan, Italy.
E MieleOnco-Hematology, Cell Therapy, Gene Therapies and Hemopoietic Transplant, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: evelina.miele@opbg.net.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHigh-grade gliomas (HGG) are aggressive central nervous system tumors with poor outcomes; in fact, only a small subset of patients survive beyond 5 years.

methodsTo investigate the biological features associated with 5-year-long-term survival (LTS), we profiled immune-related gene expression using the NanoString nCounter platform, assessed immune cell composition via DNA methylation-based deconvolution, and validated the findings using immunohistochemistry.

resultsGene expression profiling of 730 immune-related genes revealed 102 differentially expressed genes (q < 0.05) between LTS and short-term survivors (STS), with 10 up-regulated and 92 downregulated genes in LTS. The genes up-regulated in LTS were primarily associated with enhanced immune surveillance and regulation, including microglial and natural killer (NK) cell activity. Notably, elevated expression of HLA-DQA1 (adaptive immunity), LAMP1/3 (antigen processing), CD180 (TAM-associated TLR), and cytokine regulators such as NOS2A, IL12A, IL3RA, and OSM suggest the occurrence of a robust and coordinated immune response. Immune cell deconvolution from DNA methylation data identified increased NK cells and decreased (CD4+, CD45RA-, and CD45RO+) memory T cells in LTS, whereas immunohistochemistry confirmed the enrichment of NK cells and activated microglia, both positively associated with survival. Conversely, M1-like macrophages were more abundant in STS tumors.

conclusionsThese integrated findings underscore the beneficial immune microenvironment in LTS HGG driven by specific innate and adaptive immune components. This immune signature may serve as a prognostic indicator and guide immunomodulatory therapeutic strategies for gliomas.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorBrain NeoplasmsGliomaKiller Cells, NaturalMicrogliaAdultDNA MethylationFemaleGene Expression ProfilingHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrognosisBiomarkers, Tumorhigh-grade glioma (HGG)immuno-infiltratelong-term survival (LTS)microglial marker (IBA1)molecular profilenatural killer (NK)

Identifiers

PMID41850041
PMCPMC13015578

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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.