Subcellular Epithelial HMGB1 Expression Is Associated with Colorectal Neoplastic Progression, Male Sex, Mismatch Repair Protein Expression, Lymph Node Positivity, and an ‘Immune Cold’ Phenotype Associated with Poor Survival

SIMPLE SUMMARY: New treatment targets are urgently needed for colorectal cancer. Here, we investigate the role of HMGB1—a multifunctional immune protein—in colorectal cancer. We demonstrate dynamic subcellular (nuclear and cytoplasmic) HMGB1 expression in lesions seen throughout different stages of colorectal cancer development. In cancer, HMGB1 is linked, for the first time, to tumour progression, lymph node metastases, male sex, and key biological parameters of mismatch repair protein expression and stromal immune cell phenotype. Strong cytoplasmic HMGB1 expression is also associated with an ‘immune cold’ tumour microenvironment, which is associated with poor survival. HMGB1 may therefore represent a novel treatment target for colorectal cancer. ABSTRACT: New treatment targets are needed for colorectal cancer (CRC). We define expression of High Mobility Group Box 1 (HMGB1) protein throughout colorectal neoplastic progression and examine the biological consequences of aberrant expression. HMGB1 is a ubiquitously expressed nuclear protein that shuttles to the cytoplasm under cellular stress. HMGB1 impacts cellular responses, acting as a cytokine when secreted. A total of 846 human tissue samples were retrieved; 6242 immunohistochemically stained sections were reviewed. Subcellular epithelial HMGB1 expression was assessed in a CRC Tissue Microarray (n = 650), normal colonic epithelium (n = 75), adenomatous polyps (n = 52), and CRC polyps (CaP, n = 69). Stromal lymphocyte phenotype was assessed in the CRC microarray and a subgroup of CaP. Normal colonic epithelium has strong nuclear and absent cytoplasmic HMGB1. With progression to CRC, there is an emergence of strong cytoplasmic HMGB1 (p < 0.001), pronounced at the leading cancer edge within CaP (p < 0.001), and reduction in nuclear HMGB1 (p < 0.001). In CRC, absent nuclear HMGB1 is associated with mismatch repair proteins (p = 0.001). Stronger cytoplasmic HMGB1 is associated with lymph node positivity (p < 0.001) and male sex (p = 0.009). Stronger nuclear (p = 0.011) and cytoplasmic (p = 0.002) HMGB1 is associated with greater CD4(+) T-cell density, stronger nuclear HMGB1 is associated with greater FOXP3(+) (p < 0.001) and ICOS(+) (p = 0.018) lymphocyte density, and stronger nuclear HMGB1 is associated with reduced CD8(+) T-cell density (p = 0.022). HMGB1 does not directly impact survival but is associated with an ‘immune cold’ tumour microenvironment which is associated with poor survival (p < 0.001). HMGB1 may represent a new treatment target for CRC.