Immune-Related Cutaneous Adverse Events Display Distinct Clinical and Molecular Characteristics, Depending on Immune Checkpoints Targeted.

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Immune-related cutaneous adverse events (ircAEs) are common complications of cancer immunotherapy and provide insight into immune-related adverse events (irAEs) more broadly. To enhance our molecular understanding, we characterized ircAEs resulting from single-agent (PD1) and combined immunotherapy regimens (P+C). Clinically, maculopapular rash (MPR) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) resemble ircAEs, providing a valuable basis for investigations. Methods: To investigate the transcriptome and immune infiltrates in ircAEs, we conducted transcriptomic analyses and multiplexed immunohistochemistry on skin biopsies from patients receiving PD1 and P+C, as well as those with MPR, TEN, and healthy controls. Results: Principal component analysis revealed distinct transcriptomic clustering between ircAEs, MPR, and TEN. Specifically, PD1 ircAEs exhibited a gene expression profile similar to TEN, with upregulation of Type-I-response-related genes (e.g., CXCL9 Log2FC 5.34, p < 0.0001, CXCL10 Log2FC 6.03, p < 0.0001), while P+C ircAEs more closely resembled MPR. Immune infiltrates differed significantly between all groups (p = 0.002 by PERMANOVA for all groups). CD4 T-cells were abundant in the dermis of ircAEs from any type of immunotherapy. However, PD1 stained positive in 1.07% of CD4 cells with PD1 monotherapy, compared to 0.3%, 0.4%, and 0.08% in P+C, MPR, and TEN, respectively. Conclusions: This study identified distinct molecular and cellular signatures in ircAEs depending on the type of immune checkpoint blockade. aPD1-associated ircAEs share similarities with the cytotoxic profile of TEN, while P+C more closely mirrored MPR. These findings support the need for tailored management strategies for ircAEs, emphasizing personalized therapeutic approaches to minimize treatment interruptions while preserving the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy.