N6-Methyladenosine Regulator-Mediated Immue Patterns and Tumor Microenvironment Infiltration Characterization in...

Epigenetic modifications, according to emerging evidence, perform a critical role for cellular immune response and tumorigenesis. Nonetheless, the role of N6-methyladenosine modification in shaping of the glioblastoma tumor microenvironment is unknown.

N6-methyladenosine(m6A) methylation patterns in GBM patients were evaluated via multiple omics analysis of 15 m6A regulators and systematically correlated with tumor immune features. For quantification of N6-methyladenosine methylation patterns of individual patients, GM-score was developed and correlated with clinical and immunological characteristics.

Glioblastoma has two different m6A methylation patterns that are strongly associated with TME characteristics, tumor subtype, immunotherapy response, and patient prognosis. High-GM-score is associated with an immune tolerance phenotype dominated by the IDH1 wild molecular subtype and the Mesenchymal tissue subtype, as well as a high infiltration of immune cells and stromal cells and a poor prognosis. Furthermore, despite higher immune checkpoint expression, individuals with a high-GM-score have a poorer response to anti-CTLA4 immunotherapy regimens due to T-cells dysfunctional. Low-GM-score individuals had an immunodeficient phenotype dominated by IDH mutant molecular subtypes and Proneural tissue subtypes, with less immune cell infiltration and a better prognosis. Furthermore, patients with low-GM-scores had higher microsatellite instability (MSI) and t-cell exclusion scores, as well as a better response to anti-CTLA4 immunotherapy regimens.

This study demonstrated that m6A modification patterns play an important role in the shaping of TME complexity and diversity. The GM-score could identify m6A modification patterns in individual patients, resulting in a more personalization and efficacious anti-tumor immunotherapy strategy.