Aldehyde Dehydrogenese-1 High Cancer Stem-like Cells/Cancer-initiating Cells Escape from Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes due to Lower Expression of Human Leukocyte Antigen Class 1.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Human gastric cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/cancer-initiating cells can be identified as aldehyde dehydrogenase-high (ALDH) cells. Cancer immunotherapy employing immune checkpoint blockade has been approved for advanced gastric cancer cases. However, the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy against gastric CSCs/CICs remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the susceptibility of gastric CSCs/CICs to immunotherapy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Gastric CSCs/CICs were isolated as ALDH cells using the human gastric cancer cell line, MKN-45. ALDH clone cells and ALDH clone cells were isolated using the ALDEFLUOR assay. ALDH1A1 expression was assessed via qRT-PCR. Sphere-forming ability was evaluated to confirm the presence of CSCs/CICs. A model neoantigen, AP2S1, was over-expressed in ALDH clone cells and ALDH clone cells, and susceptibility to AP2S1-specific TCR-T cells was assessed using IFNγ ELISPOT assay.

RESULTS

Three ALDH clone cells were isolated from MKN-45 cells. ALDH clone cells exhibited a stable phenotype in in vitro culture for more than 2 months. The High-36 clone cells demonstrated the highest sphere-forming ability, whereas the Low-8 cells showed the lowest sphere-forming ability. High-36 cells exhibited lower expression of HLA-A24 compared to Low-8 cells. TCR-T cells specific for AP2S1 showed lower reactivity to High-36 cells compared to Low-8 cells.

CONCLUSION

High-36 cells and Low-8 cells represent novel gastric CSCs/CICs and non-CSCs/CICs, respectively. ALDH CSCs/CICs evade T cells due to lower expression of HLA class 1.