Histoepigenetic analysis of HPV- and tobacco-associated head and neck cancer identifies both subtype-specific and common therapeutic targets despite divergent microenvironments

Although head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has in the past been largely associated with tobacco use, human papillomavirus (HPV+) oropharynx cancer has in recent years emerged as the fastest growing type of HNSCC. Patients with HPV+ HNSCC have a better prognosis; however, the 5-year survival for both HPV+ and HPV− subtypes with recurrent or metastatic disease is poor. To gain insights into the tumor microenvironments of both HNSCC subtypes and identify potential therapeutic targets, we performed epigenomic deconvolution on 580 HNSCC samples from the TCGA dataset. Deconvolution revealed distinct molecular and histoepigenetic profiles of the two tumor subtypes, including their cellular composition, epigenomic profiles and gene expression for constituent cell types, and potential cancer cell-specific targets. Our analyses show that high abundance of both CD8 T-cells and B-cells explains better prognosis in HPV+ HNSCC. Deconvolution of gene expression profiles revealed higher expression of the immunotherapy target PD-1 in HPV+ immune cells compared to HPV− cells, suggesting that HPV+ tumors may preferentially benefit from PD-1 targeted therapy. Further analyses identified HPV+ and HPV− cancer cell surface proteins that can also serve as potential targets for therapy. Specifically, Wnt pathway receptor ROR2 is preferentially overexpressed in HPV+ subtypes, suggesting opportunities for development of targeted therapy based on HPV status. In summary, the comprehensive molecular and histoepigenetic analysis of tumor microenvironments by epigenomic deconvolution reveals potential novel biomarkers and targets for precision therapy of HNSCC.