ZNF683 (Hobit) Marks a CD8+ T Cell Population Associated with Anti-Tumor Immunity Following Anti-PD-1 Therapy for Richter Syndrome (ASH 2022)
To systematically discover the determinants of this response, we analyzed single-cell transcriptome data generated from 17 bone marrow samples longitudinally collected from 6 RS patients enrolled in a phase I study of the anti-PD1 drug nivolumab with concurrent ibrutinib (NCT 02420912). We again identified ZNF683 among the top upregulated genes in RS-R (Log2 fold change = 2.13, p=0.037), along with other genes enriched in our ZNF683high CD8 E/EM signature (BATF, CORO1A, CD38, ITGB2, GZMM), while RS-NR were enriched in NK-like genes (KLRC1, FCGR3A, KLRG1, KLRF1 and FCER1G). In conclusion, we identify ZNF683 as marking a CD8 T cell population associated with CPB response in RS blood and bone marrow and provide evidence that this transcription factor regulates key cellular pathways involved in immune anti-tumor response, with implications for understanding CPB response in RS and other malignancies.