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Programmatically Efficient Separation of Immune Infiltrate and Tumor Gene Expression Overlap Potentials in a Big Data
Elizabeth A Fletcher1, Toriana R Dabkowski1, Mallika Varkhedi1
1Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, U.S.A.
Cancer Genomics & Proteomics
|August 29, 2025
Summary
Assessing Fas Ligand (FASLG) copy numbers (CNs) in tumors reveals a link to worse survival. High FASLG gene expression, however, correlates with better outcomes, likely due to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Genomics
Background:
- Fas Ligand (FASLG) typically expressed on T-cells and NK cells induces apoptosis.
- Assessing FASLG in tumor cells via genomics has been difficult.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel genomic approach for assessing FASLG copy numbers (CNs) and gene expression in tumors.
- To investigate the prognostic significance of FASLG CNs and expression in cancer.
Main Methods:
- Applied novel assessment of FASLG CNs and gene expression from bulk exome and RNAseq data.
- Correlated FASLG CNs and expression with survival outcomes and T-cell markers (CD4, CD8A).
Main Results:
- High FASLG CNs associated with worse survival.
- Higher FASLG gene expression linked to better survival, attributed to tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs).
- CN increases correlated with increased gene expression in the FASLG genomic region.
Conclusions:
- FASLG CN increases may indicate tumor escape from TILs and serve as a prognostic marker.
- Tumor FASLG presents a potential therapeutic target to overcome T-cell evasion.
