Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39736644›Full record

ArticleCell communication and signaling : CCS2024

Differentiation status determines the effects of IFNγ on the expression of PD-L1 and immunomodulatory genes in melanoma.

Teitur Sævarsson, Adrián López García de Lomana, Ólafur Sánchez, Veerle van Esch, Gunnar Bjarni Ragnarsson, Siggeir Fannar Brynjólfsson, Eiríkur Steingrímsson, Berglind Ósk Einarsdóttir

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cell communication and signaling : CCS, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Review
  8. Transcriptomic signatures in peripheral CD4Frontiers in immunology · 2025
    Article
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

8 authors.

Teitur SævarssonDepartment of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, BioMedical Center, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.ORCID 0009-0006-9828-8859
Adrián López García de LomanaDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, BioMedical Center, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.ORCID 0000-0002-9748-347X
Ólafur SánchezDepartment of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, BioMedical Center, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.
Veerle van EschDepartment of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, BioMedical Center, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.
Gunnar Bjarni RagnarssonLandspítali - The National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.
Siggeir Fannar BrynjólfssonDepartment of Immunology, Landspítali - The National University Hospital of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.ORCID 0000-0003-0451-5581
Eiríkur SteingrímssonDepartment of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, BioMedical Center, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland.ORCID 0000-0001-5826-7486
Berglind Ósk EinarsdóttirDepartment of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, BioMedical Center, University of Iceland, Reykjavík, Iceland. boe@hi.is.ORCID 0000-0002-5227-8149

Funding

The Icelandic Center for Research 228528-051
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMelanoma cells frequently dedifferentiate in response to inflammation which can increase responses to certain cytokines. Interferon-γ (IFNγ) is an integral part of the anti-tumor immune response and can directly induce both differentiational changes and expression of immunosuppressive proteins in melanoma cells. How the differentiation status of melanoma cells affects IFNγ responses remains unclear.

methodsDedifferentiation of melanoma cells was induced via either siRNA or shRNA mediated MITF knockdown and the cells were subsequently treated with IFNγ. Effects of MITF knockdown and IFNγ treatment on gene expression were evaluated via qPCR and RNA sequencing. A Luminex assay was used to analyze the effects of dedifferentiation and IFNγ treatment on cytokine secretion. Effects on PD-L1 protein expression were analyzed via flow cytometry and western blotting. Inhibition of the JAK kinases, NF-κB and STAT3 with small molecule inhibitors, and siRNA mediated knockdown of STAT1 and IRF1 was applied to investigate the molecular mechanism behind IFNγ induced PD-L1 expression in dedifferentiated melanoma cells. The effects of inhibitor treatments and siRNA mediated knockdowns were evaluated via qPCR and western blotting. Bioinformatic analysis of publicly available RNA sequencing data, consisting of 45 patient derived melanoma cell lines, with or without IFNγ treatment, was conducted to assess the generalizability of the in vitro results.

resultsDedifferentiation renders 624Mel melanoma cells hypersensitive to IFNγ stimulation in a context-dependent manner, resulting in non-additive upregulation of IFNγ-induced genes, increased PD-L1 protein expression and amplified secretion of CCL2, CXCL10 and IL-10. Furthermore, the intensified PD-L1 protein expression occurs through the JAK-STAT1-IRF1 axis. Lastly, dedifferentiated patient derived melanoma cell lines showed enhanced inflammatory signaling in response to IFNγ compared to differentiated cells, and tended to have higher PD-L1 expression, associated with increased IRF1 expression and activity.

conclusionsTogether, these findings indicate the existence of a molecular context linking dedifferentiation and IFNγ signaling in melanoma which may lead to immune evasion. Additionally, the variability in PD-L1 expression among MITF

Indexed as

B7-H1 AntigenInterferon-gammaMelanomaCell DedifferentiationCell DifferentiationCell Line, TumorGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansInterferon Regulatory Factor-1Janus KinasesMicrophthalmia-Associated Transcription FactorSignal TransductionSTAT1 Transcription FactorB7-H1 AntigenCD274 protein, humanInterferon-gammaInterferon Regulatory Factor-1IRF1 protein, humanJanus KinasesMicrophthalmia-Associated Transcription FactorSTAT1 Transcription FactorDedifferentiationInterferon-γJAK/STAT pathwayMelanomaPD-L1

Identifiers

PMID39736644
PMCPMC11687009

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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 Socratic graph.