Abstract

Background

This study was intended to investigate the genomic landscape of the immune microenvironments of brain metastases in breast cancer.

Methods

Three gene expression profile datasets (GSE76714, GSE125989 and GSE43837) of breast cancer with brain metastases were downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. After differential expression analysis, the tumor immune microenvironment and immune cell infiltration were analyzed. Then immune-related genes were identified, followed by function analysis, transcription factor (TF)-miRNA–mRNA co-regulatory network analysis, and survival analysis of metastatic recurrence.

Results

The present results showed that the tumor immune microenvironment in brain metastases was immunosuppressed compared with primary caner. Compared with primary cancer samples, the infiltration ratio of plasma cells in brain metastases samples was significantly higher, while the infiltration ratio of macrophages M2 cells in brain metastases samples was significantly lower. Total 42 immune-related genes were identified, such as THY1 and NEU2. CD1B, THY1 and DOCK2 were found to be implicated in the metastatic recurrence of breast cancer.

Conclusions

Targeting macrophages or plasma cells may be new strategies for immunotherapy of breast cancer with brain metastases. THY1 and NEU2 may be potential therapeutic targets for breast cancer with brain metastases, and THY1, CD1B and DOCK2 may serve as potential prognostic markers for improvement of brain metastases survival.

Details

Title
Genomic landscape of the immune microenvironments of brain metastases in breast cancer
Author
Wei-cheng, Lu; Xie, Hui; Yuan, Ce; Jin-jiang, Li; Zhao-yang, Li; An-hua, Wu  VIAFID ORCID Logo 
Pages
1-13
Section
Research
Publication year
2020
Publication date
2020
Publisher
BioMed Central
e-ISSN
14795876
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2444114221
Copyright
© 2020. This work is licensed under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.