Application of Spatial Transcriptomics to Reveal the Biology of Tertiary Lymphoid Structures in Ovarian Cancer

Join us for the first webinar in our Women’s Health Month Webinar Series! High grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) has shown poor response to immunotherapies, and retains a 5 year survival of less than 50%. Using spatial biology methods, our group extensively characterized the adaptive immune microenvironment of HGSOC, first through multiplex immunofluorescence, then with spatial transcriptomics. We found various levels of tertiary lymphoid structure presence and maturity across anatomical site, suggesting that these coordinators of antitumor immunity may be targeted to improve prognosis and response. We utilized  spatial technologies to produce prognostic signatures, reveal the importance of TLS for B cell biology, and define stromal populations that impact their presence and maturity. Technically, this work focuses on synergizing multiplex immunofluorescence with spatial transcriptomics. Our work lays a foundation to better understand TLS formation in HGSOC, and provides rational targets to increase their abundance with the goal of improving immunotherapy response.