AUTHOR=Zhang Si-yuan , Ren Xian-yue , Wang Chun-yang , Chen Xi-juan , Cao Ruo-yan , Liu Qin , Pan Xue , Zhou Jia-ying , Zhang Wei-lin , Tang Xin-Ran , Cheng Bin , Wu Tong 

TITLE=Comprehensive Characterization of Immune Landscape Based on Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Signature in OSCC: Implication for Prognosis and Immunotherapy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Oncology

VOLUME=Volume 11 - 2021

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/oncology/articles/10.3389/fonc.2021.587862

DOI=10.3389/fonc.2021.587862

ISSN=2234-943X

ABSTRACT=Current anatomic TNM stage classification fails to capture the immune heterogeneity of OSCC. Increasing evidences indicate a strong association between epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumour immune response. In this study, we employed the EMT signature to classify OSCC patients into epithelial- and mesenchymal- phenotypes using TCGA and GSE41613 transcriptome data. ESTIMATE and CIRBERSORT analysis implied that EMT signature was originated from stroma, and M-type tumours were characterized as “immune-hot” with more immune cells infiltration in contrast to E-type ones. The low active and high inactive immune cells infiltration, and high immune checkpoints expressions demonstrated an immunosuppressive characteristic of M-type tumours. Importantly, we developed and validated a novel prognostic classifier EIT based on EMT score, 7 immune checkpoints expressions and TNM stage, which could improve the prediction efficiency of current clinical parameter. Together, our findings provide a better understanding of the tumour immune heterogeneity and may aid guiding immunotherapy in OSCC.