# Integrated Immune and Molecular Profiling Identifies Prognostic Subgroups and Therapeutic Targets in Chondrosarcoma

**Authors:** Agnieszka E. Zając, Piotr Rutkowski, Anna Szumera-Ciećkiewicz, Jakub Piątkowski, Paweł Teterycz, Emanuela Palmerini, Aurélie Dutour, Justyna Tuziak-Klym, Michał Wągrodzki, Andrzej Pieńkowski, Andrzej Tysarowski, Marco Gambarotti, Giorgio Frega, Michela Pierini, Alberto Righi, Giovanna Magagnoli, Myriam Jean-Denis, Toni Ibrahim, Jean-Yves Blay, Paweł Golik, Anna M. Czarnecka

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/ijms27042018 · International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2026-02-20

## TL;DR

This study identifies immune and genetic subgroups in chondrosarcoma, revealing potential targets for immunotherapy and new prognostic markers.

## Contribution

The paper introduces an immune–mutational classification system for chondrosarcoma with potential therapeutic implications.

## Key findings

- Three immune subtypes (cold, hot, intermediate) were identified in chondrosarcoma patients.
- IDH1 mutations and immune subtype IMP2 are linked to worse survival outcomes.
- An immune–mutational classification could guide future immunotherapy and IDH inhibitor treatments.

## Abstract

Chondrosarcoma (ChS) is a rare bone malignancy with heterogeneous behavior, the molecular and immunological background of which remains unknown. No effective systemic treatment for advanced ChS patients is available. The aim of this study was to develop an immune–mutational classification of ChS and to search for novel prognostic factors and molecular targets. We performed an immunological–molecular profiling of 99 patients diagnosed with primary ChS G1–G3 and dedifferentiated ChS. An expression of 20 immune response markers was assessed by IHC and targeted the next-generation sequencing of 409 genes was performed. Immunological and mutational profiles were correlated with overall survival using a multivariate LASSO-penalized Cox model. Three immunophenotypes were described—“cold” (IMP1), “hot” (IMP2), and “intermediate” (IMP3). IMP1 was the most prevalent in G1 cases, while IMP2 was the most prevalent in dedifferentiated cases. IDH1/2 or TP53 mutations were associated with high-grade ChS (FDR < 0.05). IMP2 was characterized by a higher number of immune infiltrates in the central region of the tumor (HR: 3.3; CI: 1.13–9.8; p < 0.05). IDH1 mutations were present most often in IMP2 cases (HR: 3.8; CI: 1.75–8.1; p < 0.001). Tumor size, dedifferentiated subtype, IDH1 mutation and the presence of IMP2 were identified as independent negative prognostic survival factors in ChS. An immune–mutational classification system for ChS patients was proposed, which may be used to identify those potentially suited for immunotherapy combined with IDH-mutant inhibitors in future research.

## Linked entities

- **Genes:** IDH1 (isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)) 1) [NCBI Gene 3417], IDH2 (isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)) 2) [NCBI Gene 3418], TP53 (tumor protein p53) [NCBI Gene 7157]
- **Diseases:** Chondrosarcoma (MONDO:0008977)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** MYC (MYC proto-oncogene, bHLH transcription factor) [NCBI Gene 4609] {aka MRTL, MYCC, bHLHe39, c-Myc}, IMPA2 (inositol monophosphatase 2) [NCBI Gene 3613], MAPK1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 5594] {aka ERK, ERK-2, ERK2, ERT1, MAPK2, NS13}, FGFR1 (fibroblast growth factor receptor 1) [NCBI Gene 2260] {aka BFGFR, CD331, CEK, ECCL, FGFBR, FGFR-1}, PTCH1 (patched 1) [NCBI Gene 5727] {aka BCNS, BCNS1, NBCCS, PTC, PTC1, PTCH}, AKT1 (AKT serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 207] {aka AKT, PKB, PKB-ALPHA, PRKBA, RAC, RAC-ALPHA}, STK11 (serine/threonine kinase 11) [NCBI Gene 6794] {aka LKB1, PJS, hLKB1}, MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase) [NCBI Gene 2475] {aka FRAP, FRAP1, FRAP2, RAFT1, RAPT1, SKS}, IMPA1 (inositol monophosphatase 1) [NCBI Gene 397425], LGALS9 (galectin 9) [NCBI Gene 396972] {aka UATP.I}, RB1 (RB transcriptional corepressor 1) [NCBI Gene 5925] {aka OSRC, PPP1R130, RB, p105-Rb, p110-RB1, pRb}, PTPRC (protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type C) [NCBI Gene 5788] {aka B220, CD45, CD45R, GP180, IMD105, L-CA}, CD8A (CD8 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 925] {aka CD8, CD8alpha, IMD116, Leu2, p32}, CD3E (CD3 epsilon subunit of T-cell receptor complex) [NCBI Gene 397455] {aka CD3}, CD68 (CD68 molecule) [NCBI Gene 103158530], SEC31A (SEC31 homolog A, COPII component) [NCBI Gene 22872] {aka ABP125, ABP130, HPBKS, HSPC275, HSPC334, NEDSOSB}, KIT (KIT proto-oncogene, receptor tyrosine kinase) [NCBI Gene 3815] {aka C-Kit, CD117, MASTC, PBT, SCFR}, CD14 (CD14 molecule) [NCBI Gene 929], CD14 [NCBI Gene 100620530], RYR3 (ryanodine receptor 3) [NCBI Gene 6263] {aka CMYO20, CMYP20, RYR-3}, CD274 (CD274 molecule) [NCBI Gene 574058] {aka PDL1}, LAG3 (lymphocyte activating 3) [NCBI Gene 3902] {aka CD223}, TGFB1 (transforming growth factor beta 1) [NCBI Gene 7040] {aka CAEND1, CED, DPD1, IBDIMDE, LAP, TGF-beta1}, HAVCR2 (hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 2) [NCBI Gene 84868] {aka CD366, HAVcr-2, KIM-3, SPTCL, TIM3, TIMD-3}, CD163 (CD163 molecule) [NCBI Gene 9332] {aka M130, MM130, SCARI1}, IMP3 (IMP U3 small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein 3) [NCBI Gene 55272] {aka BRMS2, C15orf12, MRPS4}, AKT2 (AKT serine/threonine kinase 2) [NCBI Gene 208] {aka HIHGHH, PKBB, PKBBETA, PRKBB, RAC-BETA}, MN1 (MN1 proto-oncogene, transcriptional regulator) [NCBI Gene 4330] {aka CEBALID, MGCR, MGCR1, MGCR1-PEN, dJ353E16.2}, UBR5 (ubiquitin protein ligase E3 component n-recognin 5) [NCBI Gene 51366] {aka DD5, EDD, EDD1, HYD, NEDSBH}, LYST (lysosomal trafficking regulator) [NCBI Gene 1130] {aka CHS, CHS1, Mauve}, MS4A1 (membrane spanning 4-domains A1) [NCBI Gene 931] {aka B1, Bp35, CD20, CVID5, FMC7, LEU-16}, NFKB1 (nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1) [NCBI Gene 4790] {aka CVID12, EBP-1, KBF1, NF-kB, NF-kB1, NF-kappa-B1}, LAMP3 (lysosome associated membrane protein 3) [NCBI Gene 27074] {aka CD208, DC LAMP, DC-LAMP, DCLAMP, LAMP, LAMP-3}, IGF2BP2 (insulin like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 2) [NCBI Gene 10644] {aka IMP-2, IMP2, VICKZ2}, FOXP3 (forkhead box P3) [NCBI Gene 50943] {aka AIID, DIETER, IPEX, JM2, PIDX, XPID}, SLTM (SAFB like transcription modulator) [NCBI Gene 79811] {aka Met}, EPHA7 (EPH receptor A7) [NCBI Gene 2045] {aka EHK-3, EHK3, EK11, HEK11}, IDH1 (isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)) 1) [NCBI Gene 3417] {aka HEL-216, HEL-S-26, IDCD, IDH, IDP, IDPC}, ACVR2A (activin A receptor type 2A) [NCBI Gene 92] {aka ACTRII, ACVR2}, PIK3CB (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta) [NCBI Gene 5291] {aka P110BETA, PI3K, PI3KBETA, PIK3C1}, CD68 (CD68 molecule) [NCBI Gene 968] {aka GP110, LAMP4, SCARD1}, BRAP (BRCA1 associated protein) [NCBI Gene 8315] {aka BRAP2, IMP, RNF52}, LGALS9 (galectin 9) [NCBI Gene 3965] {aka HUAT, LGALS9A}, CD80 (CD80 molecule) [NCBI Gene 941] {aka B7, B7-1, B7.1, BB1, CD28LG, CD28LG1}, CD274 (CD274 molecule) [NCBI Gene 29126] {aka ADMIO5, B7-H, B7H1, PD-L1, PDCD1L1, PDCD1LG1}, MAP2K2 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 2) [NCBI Gene 5605] {aka CFC4, MAPKK2, MEK2, MKK2, PRKMK2}, FLT3 (fms related receptor tyrosine kinase 3) [NCBI Gene 2322] {aka CD135, FLK-2, FLK2, STK1}, IMP3 (IMP U3 small nucleolar ribonucleoprotein 3) [NCBI Gene 100151831], BRAF (B-Raf proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase) [NCBI Gene 673] {aka B-RAF1, B-raf, BRAF-1, BRAF1, NS7, RAFB1}, PTEN (phosphatase and tensin homolog) [NCBI Gene 5728] {aka 10q23del, BZS, CWS1, DEC, GLM2, MHAM}, TAF1 (TATA-box binding protein associated factor 1) [NCBI Gene 6872] {aka BA2R, CCG1, CCGS, DYT3, DYT3/TAF1, KAT4}, CD1A (CD1a molecule) [NCBI Gene 909] {aka CD1, FCB6, HTA1, R4, T6}, TP53 (tumor protein p53) [NCBI Gene 7157] {aka BCC7, BMFS5, LFS1, P53, TRP53}, MRE11 (MRE11 double strand break repair nuclease) [NCBI Gene 4361] {aka ATLD, HNGS1, MRE11A, MRE11B}, IGF2BP1 (insulin like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 1) [NCBI Gene 10642] {aka CRD-BP, CRDBP, IMP-1, IMP1, VICKZ1, ZBP1}, DIDO1 (death inducer-obliterator 1) [NCBI Gene 11083] {aka BYE1, C20orf158, DATF-1, DATF1, DIDO2, DIDO3}, PDGFRA (platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha) [NCBI Gene 5156] {aka CD140A, PDGFR-2, PDGFR2}, BTBD7 (BTB domain containing 7) [NCBI Gene 55727] {aka FUP1}, CD4 (CD4 molecule) [NCBI Gene 404704], IDH2 (isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)) 2) [NCBI Gene 3418] {aka D2HGA2, ICD-M, IDH, IDH-2, IDHM, IDP}
- **Diseases:** injury to (MESH:D014947), osteosarcoma (MESH:D012516), gliomas (MESH:D005910), metastasis (MESH:D009362), tumorigenic (MESH:D002471), fracture (MESH:D050723), bone malignancy (MESH:D001859), death (MESH:D003643), DD (MESH:C536170), OS (MESH:D011475), immune dysfunction (MESH:D007154), Tumor (MESH:D009369), bone sarcomas (MESH:D001847), TLS (MESH:D000072717), TAM (MESH:D020914), tumorigenesis (MESH:D063646), sarcoma (MESH:D012509), Amp (MESH:C567878), IMPACT (MESH:D004834), ChS (MESH:D002813)
- **Chemicals:** 2-HG (MESH:C019417), Krebs (-), paraffin (MESH:D010232), H&amp;E (MESH:D006371), NADP+ (MESH:D009249), pembrolizumab (MESH:C582435), nivolumab (MESH:D000077594), formalin (MESH:D005557), ROS (MESH:D017382)
- **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]
- **Mutations:** V71A

## Full text

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## Figures

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## References

90 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12940788/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12940788