AACR COVID-19: SRMS Expression in Patients With Lung Cancer
Posted: Monday, August 17, 2020
For patients with lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma, there may be an increased susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 due to increased levels of Src-related kinase lacking C-terminal regulatory tyrosine and N-terminal myristoylation sites (SRMS), according to a presentation during the 2020 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Virtual Meeting on COVID-19 and Cancer (Abstract PO-069). The impact of increased SRMS expression may worsen the prognosis for these patients after SARS-CoV-2 infection, reported Malia B. Potts, PhD, of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and colleagues.
“SRMS expression increased significantly in lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma, and this elevated SRMS was negatively correlated with immune infiltration at tumors,” explained the investigators.
SRMS expression levels were analyzed, and the Open Target platform was utilized to assess SRMS association with disease. The study authors also utilized the Tumor Immune Estimation Resource database to analyze the correlation between SRMS and the immune infiltration levels associated with lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, the investigators used the GSE30589 database to determine the changes of the in vitro SRMS expression after SARS-CoV-2 infection in Vero E6 and MA-104 cells.
Comparison of lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma with healthy tissue revealed increased SRMS expression. Moreover, the study authors found a negative correlation between the increased SRMS expression and immune infiltration of CD8-positive T-cell levels in lung adenocarcinoma and lung squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, after infection with SARS-CoV-2, there was increased in vitro SRMS expression in Vero E6 and MA-104 cells.
Disclosure: No information regarding conflicts of interest was provided.