Alexandria, VA – A study reporting on the inaugural case of granulomatous Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor-induced sialadenitis and its unique pathobiology before and after corticosteroid cancer therapy was presented at the 54th Annual Meeting of the AADOCR, which was held in conjunction with the 49th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, on March 12-15, 2025 in New York, NY.
The abstract, “Single Cell and Spatial Analyses of ICI-Induced Granulomatous Sialadenitis” was presented by Rachel Kulchar of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research during the “AADOCR Hatton: Junior” Poster Session that took place on Friday, March 14, 2025 at 3:15 p.m. EDT (UTC-4).
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) have revolutionized cancer therapy by reinvigorating T cells to reject tumors. However, more than 40% of ICI-treated patients experience off-target immune-related adverse events (irAEs), including irreversible salivary gland damage, reducing life quality. This study reported the inaugural case of granulomatous ICI-induced sialadenitis (gICIS), an irAE, and uncovered its unique pathobiology using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) and spatial transcriptomics (st) before and after corticosteroid therapy (prednisone).
This study provided insights into gICIS molecular biology and potential therapies. It found that prednisone significantly improved salivary and lacrimal function, reduced gICIS, and corrected expression profiles and histology. The multimodal approach illustrated the spectrum from clinical observation to treatment, highlighting its impact on the target organ within the same patient.
About AADOCR
The American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research (AADOCR) is a nonprofit organization with a mission to drive dental, oral, and craniofacial research to advance health and well-being. AADOCR represents the individual scientists, clinician-scientists, dental professionals, and students based in academic, government, non-profit, and private-sector institutions who share our mission. AADOCR is the largest division of the International Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research. Learn more at www.aadocr.org.
