Single-cell RNA sequencing-derived signatures define response patterns to atezolizumab + bevacizumab in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma
The combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab (atezo+bev) is the current standard of care for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), providing a median overall survival (OS) of 19.2 months. Here, we aim to uncover the underlying cellular processes driving clinical benefit vs. resistance to atezo...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2025 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |
| Repositorio: | Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:dnet:uabarcelona_::748b7601601a72c6320f6623ecfb4d84 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://ddd.uab.cat/record/328431 https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1016/j.jhep.2024.12.016 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma Atezolizumab and bevacizumab Biomarkers of Response Single-Cell RNA-Sequencing Primary Resistance |
| Sumario: | The combination of atezolizumab and bevacizumab (atezo+bev) is the current standard of care for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), providing a median overall survival (OS) of 19.2 months. Here, we aim to uncover the underlying cellular processes driving clinical benefit vs. resistance to atezo+bev. We harnessed the power of single-cell RNA sequencing in advanced HCC to derive gene expression signatures recapitulating 21 cell phenotypes. These signatures were applied to 422 RNA-sequencing samples of patients with advanced HCC treated with atezo+bev (n = 317) vs. atezolizumab (n = 47) or sorafenib (n = 58) as comparators. We unveiled two distinct patterns of response to atezo+bev. First, an immune-mediated response characterised by the combined presence of CD8+ T effector cells and pro-inflammatory CXCL10+ macrophages, representing an immune-rich microenvironment. Second, a non-immune, angiogenesis-related response distinguishable by a reduced expression of the VEGF co-receptor neuropilin-1 (NRP1), a biomarker that specifically predicts improved OS upon atezo+bev vs. sorafenib (p = 0.039). Primary resistance was associated with an enrichment of immunosuppressive myeloid populations, namely CD14+ monocytes and TREM2+ macrophages, and Notch pathway activation. Based on these mechanistic insights we define " Immune-competent " and " Angiogenesis-driven " molecular subgroups, each associated with a significantly longer OS with atezo+bev vs. sorafenib (p of interaction = 0.027), and a " Resistant" subset. Our study unveils two distinct molecular subsets of clinical benefit to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in advanced HCC (" Immune-competent" and " Angiogenesis-driven") as well as the main traits of primary resistance to this therapy, thus providing a molecular framework to stratify patients based on clinical outcome and guiding potential strategies to overcome resistance. Atezolizumab + bevacizumab (atezo+bev) is standard of care in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), yet molecular determinants of clinical benefit to the combination remain unclear. This study harnesses the power of single-cell RNA sequencing, deriving gene expression signatures representing 21 cell subtypes in the advanced HCC microenvironment. By applying these signatures to RNA-sequencing samples, we reveal two distinct response patterns to atezo+bev and define molecular subgroups of patients (" Immune-competent" and " Angiogenesis-driven" vs. "Resistant") with differential clinical outcomes upon treatment with atezo+bev, pointing towards the role of immunosuppressive myeloid cell types and Notch pathway activation in primary resistance to atezo+bev. These results may help refine treatment strategies and improve outcomes for patients with advanced HCC, while also guiding future research aimed at overcoming resistance mechanisms. |
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