10.3389/fonc.2020.00968.s002 Douglas K. Marks Douglas K. Marks Robyn D. Gartrell Robyn D. Gartrell Margueritta El Asmar Margueritta El Asmar Shuobo Boboila Shuobo Boboila Thomas Hart Thomas Hart Yan Lu Yan Lu Qingfei Pan Qingfei Pan Jiyang Yu Jiyang Yu Hanina Hibshoosh Hanina Hibshoosh Hua Guo Hua Guo Eleni Andreopoulou Eleni Andreopoulou Lisa Wiechmann Lisa Wiechmann Katherine Crew Katherine Crew Joseph Sparano Joseph Sparano Dawn Hershman Dawn Hershman Eileen Connolly Eileen Connolly Yvonne Saenger Yvonne Saenger Kevin Kalinsky Kevin Kalinsky Image_2_Akt Inhibition Is Associated With Favorable Immune Profile Changes Within the Tumor Microenvironment of Hormone Receptor Positive, HER2 Negative Breast Cancer.TIF Frontiers 2020 breast cancer tumor microenvironment MK-2206 AKT inhibitor quantitative multiplex immunofluorescence tumor immunobiology pre-surgical 2020-06-16 04:20:57 Figure https://frontiersin.figshare.com/articles/figure/Image_2_Akt_Inhibition_Is_Associated_With_Favorable_Immune_Profile_Changes_Within_the_Tumor_Microenvironment_of_Hormone_Receptor_Positive_HER2_Negative_Breast_Cancer_TIF/12487709 <p>Background: The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in part impacts tumorigenesis through modulation of host immune activity. To assess the effects of Akt inhibition on the tumor micro-environment (TME), we analyzed tumor tissue from patients with operable hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative breast cancer (BC) treated on a presurgical trial with the Akt inhibitor MK-2206.</p><p>Methods: Quantitative multiplex immunofluorescence (qmIF) was performed using CD3, CD8, CD4, FOXP3, CD68, and pancytokeratin on biopsy and surgical specimens of MK-2206 and untreated, control patients. nanoString was performed on surgical specimens to assess mRNA expression from MK-2206-treated vs. control patients.</p><p>Results: Increased CD3+CD8+ density was observed in post vs. pre-treatment tissue in the MK-2206-treated vs. control patients (87 vs. 0.2%, p < 0.05). MK-2206 was associated with greater expression of interferon signaling genes (e.g., IFI6, p < 0.05) and lower expression of myeloid genes (CD163, p < 0.05) on differential expression and gene set enrichment analyses. Greater expression of pro-apoptotic genes (e.g., BAD) were associated with MK-2206 treatment (p < 0.05).</p><p>Conclusion: Akt inhibition in operable BC was associated with a favorable immune profile in the TME, including increased CD3+CD8+ density and greater expression of interferon genes. Additional studies are warranted, as this may provide rationale for combining Akt inhibition with immunotherapy.</p>