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Vascular leakage in non-small cell lung cancer is associated with immune evasion and poor response to immunotherapy
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Vascular Biology. Uppsala University, Science for Life Laboratory, SciLifeLab.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3572-9021
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Cancer Immunotherapy. Univ Bergen, Ctr Canc Biomarkers CCBIO, Dept Clin Med, Bergen, Norway.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-3783-7256
Uppsala University, Science for Life Laboratory, SciLifeLab. Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Vascular Biology.
Uppsala University, Disciplinary Domain of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Immunology, Genetics and Pathology, Cancer Immunotherapy.ORCID iD: 0000-0001-8206-5294
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2026 (English)In: Cancer Letters, ISSN 0304-3835, E-ISSN 1872-7980, Vol. 658, article id 218728Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Leaky blood vessels are a hallmark of solid tumors. However, the molecular mechanisms and clinical implications of vascular leakage in human cancer remain unexplored. Here, we identified fibrinopeptide-A (FpA) as a robust in-situ marker of vascular leakage, analyzing diagnostic specimens from two non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cohorts (N = 327 and N = 200). Mechanistically, FpA+ staining localized to discrete stromal niches characterized by increased endothelial VEGF receptor-2 phosphorylation, elevated VEGFA production by tumor cells and loss of the endothelial tyrosine phosphatase PTPRB. Immune profiling revealed reduced density of mature dendritic cells and granzyme B-expressing cytotoxic T cells in tumors with high-leakage. This leakage-associated immunosuppression was linked to the presence of tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). However, compared to low-leakage, TLS in high-leakage tumors were enriched in regulatory T cells and conferred no survival advantage. Patients with high vascular leakage exhibited a reduced overall survival. Moreover, in a separate immunotherapy cohort (N = 64), high-leakage was associated with poor response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment. This study establishes vascular leakage as an important prognostic factor in NSCLC, and provides mechanistic understanding and a methodological framework to stratify NSCLC patients with regard to responsiveness to immunotherapy.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2026. Vol. 658, article id 218728
Keywords [en]
Non-small cell lung cancer, Vascular leakage, Fibrinopeptide A, VEPTP, Tertiary lymphoid structures, Immunotherapy response
National Category
Cancer and Oncology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-595809DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2026.218728ISI: 001839903800001PubMedID: 42486347Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105046045859OAI: oai:DiVA.org:uu-595809DiVA, id: diva2:2093643
Part of project
Molecular regulation of vascular permeability, Swedish Research CouncilEvoMaps: How cellular ecosystems drive early breast cancer evolution, Swedish Research Council
Funder
Swedish Cancer Society, 25 4398 Pj 01 HSwedish Cancer Society, 21-1790Swedish Cancer Society, 211749PjSwedish Research Council, 2025-02853Swedish Research Council, 2022-01151Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, KAW 2023.0212
Note

De två sista författarna delar sistaförfattarskapet

Available from: 2026-08-19 Created: 2026-08-19 Last updated: 2026-08-19Bibliographically approved

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Nwadozi, EmmanuelStrell, CarinaNordling, SofiaLindberg, AmandaBackman, MaxDaller Cosmen, PatriciaIsaksson, JohanBotling, JohanLindskog, CeciliaMicke, PatrickClaesson-Welsh, Lena

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Nwadozi, EmmanuelStrell, CarinaNordling, SofiaLindberg, AmandaBackman, MaxDaller Cosmen, PatriciaIsaksson, JohanBotling, JohanLindskog, CeciliaMicke, PatrickClaesson-Welsh, Lena
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Vascular BiologyScience for Life Laboratory, SciLifeLabCancer ImmunotherapyCentre for Research and Development, GävleborgCancer precision medicine
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Cancer Letters
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