Highly Multiplexed Immunofluorescence PhenoCycler Panel for Murine Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tissues Yields Insight Into Tumor Microenvironment Immunoengineering.

Abstract

Spatial proteomics profiling is an emerging set of technologies that has the potential to elucidate the cell types, interactions, and molecular signatures that make up complex tissue microenvironments, with applications in the study of cancer, immunity, and much more. An emerging technique in the field is CoDetection by indEXing, recently renamed as the PhenoCycler system. This is a highly multiplexed immunofluorescence imaging technology that relies on oligonucleotide-barcoded antibodies and cyclic immunofluorescence to visualize many antibody markers in a single specimen while preserving tissue architecture. Existing PhenoCycler panels are primarily designed for fresh frozen tissues. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded blocks offer several advantages in preclinical research, but few antibody clones have been identified in this setting for PhenoCycler imaging. Here, we present a novel PhenoCycler panel of 28 validated antibodies for murine formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues. We describe our workflow for selecting and validating clones, barcoding antibodies, designing our panel, and performing multiplex imaging. We further detail our analysis pipeline for comparing marker expressions, clustering and phenotyping single-cell proteomics data, and quantifying spatial relationships. We then apply our panel and analysis protocol to profile the effects of 3 gene delivery nanoparticle formulations, in combination with systemic anti-PD1, on the murine melanoma tumor immune microenvironment. Intralesional delivery of genes expressing the costimulatory molecule 4-1BBL and the cytokine IL-12 led to a shift toward intratumoral M1 macrophage polarization and promoted closer associations between intratumoral CD8 T cells and macrophages. Delivery of interferon gamma, in addition to 4-1BBL and IL-12, not only further increased markers of antigen presentation on tumor cells and intratumoral antigen-presenting cells but also promoted greater expression of checkpoint marker PD-L1 and closer associations between intratumoral CD8 T cells and PD-L1-expressing tumor cells. These findings help explain the benefits of 4-1BBL and IL-12 delivery while offering additional mechanistic insights into the limitations of interferon gamma therapeutic efficacy.