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UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center

Publications

Tumor-derived extra-cellular vesicles induce ER stress to drive immunotolerant dendritic cell development in the tumor microenvironment.
Wang, M., Plebanek, M., Nguyen, Y., Razazade Bazaz, M., Theivanthiran, B., Hanks, B.A.   Under Preparation.

Tumor NLRP3 Genetic Amplification Promotes Immunotherapy Resistance by Suppressing STAT1-NLRC5 Signaling and MHC Class I Expression.
Theivanthiran, B., Yarla, N., Villareal, K., Nguyen, Y., Cao, L., Calderin, E., Plebanek, M., Majors, K., Johnson, D., Bolch, E., Uronis, H., Strickler, J.C., DeVito, N., Hanks, B.A. medRxiv doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2025.10.06.25337175.  Under Review.

Unlocking the Therapeutic Potential of the cGAS-STING Pathway through TREX1 Targeting.
Hanks, B.A. (2025) Cancer Research.  August 1; 85(15): 2778-2780. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-25-1272.

A Phase 1b/2 Study Evaluating Safety, Efficacy, and Immune Effects of TLR9 Agonist Cavrotolimod with Anti-PD-1 Antibodies Among Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors.
Milhem, M., Wise-Draper, T., Chandra, S., Hanna, G., Laux, D., Medina, T., Ansstas, G., Daud, A., Kelly, C., O’Day, S., Perez, C., Wong, M., Friedlander, P., Kristedja, T., Burgess, M., Cowey, L, Hanks, B.A., Weight, R., Weston, D., Feltner, D., Mix, S., Sindelar, L., Bexon, A., Bexon, M., Michel, R., Bhatia, S. (2025) Journal for Immunotherapy of Cancer. July 13(7): e011651. doi:10.1136/jitc-2025-011651. PMID: 40713179

GLI2 Facilitates Tumor Immune Evasion and Immunotherapeutic Resistance by Coordinating WNT and Prostaglandin Synthesis.
DeVito, N.C., Nguyen, Y., Sturdivant, M., Plebanek, M., Villareal, K., Yarla, N., Jain, V., Aksu, M., Beasley, G., Thievanthiran, B., Hanks, B.A.  bioRxiv doi: 10.1101/2024.03.31.587500. PMID: 38617347. (2025) Cancer Research.  May 2; 85(9): 1644-1662. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-24-1130. PMID: 39970333.

A lactate-SREBP2 signaling axis drives tolerogenic dendritic cell maturation and promotes cancer progression.
Plebanek M.P, Xue Y, Nguyen Y.V, DeVito N.C, Wang X, Holtzhausen A, Beasley G.M, Theivanthiran B, Hanks B.A.(2024) Sci Immunol. May 10;9(95):eadi4191. doi: 10.1126/sciimmunol.adi4191. Epub 2024 May 10. PMID: 38728412.

Gli2 Facilitates Tumor Immune Evasion and Immunotherapeutic Resistance by Coordinating Wnt Ligand and Prostaglandin Signaling.
DeVito N.C, Nguyen Y.V, Sturdivant M, Plebanek M.P, Howell K, Yarla N, Jain V, Aksu M, Beasley G, Theivanthiran B, Hanks B.A.(2024) bioRxiv [Preprint]. Apr 1:2024.03.31.587500. doi: 10.1101/2024.03.31.587500. PMID: 38617347.

Management of Microsatellite Instability High (MSI-H) Gastroesophageal Adenocarcinoma.
Zhou K.I, Hanks B.A, Strickler J.H.(2023) J Gastrointest Cancer. Dec 22. doi: 10.1007/s12029-023-01003-5. Online ahead of print. PMID: 38133871.

Assessing the utility of molecular diagnostic classification for cancers of unknown primary.
Moore E.C, Blobe G.C, DeVito N.C, Hanks B.A, Harrison M.R, Hoimes C.J, Jia J, Morse M.A, Jayaprakasan P, MacKelfresh A, Mulder H, Hockenberry A.J, Zander A, Stumpe M.C, Michuda J, Beauchamp K.A, Perakslis E, Taxter T, George D.J.(2023) Cancer Med. Oct;12(19):19394-19405. doi: 10.1002/cam4.6532. Epub 2023 Sep 15. PMID: 37712677.

A SREBF2-dependent gene program drives an immunotolerant dendritic cell population during cancer progression.
Plebanek M.P, Xue Y, Nguyen Y.V, DeVito N.C, Wang X, Holtzhausen A, Beasley G.M, Yarla N, Thievanthiran B, Hanks B.A.(2023) bioRxiv [Preprint]. Apr 28:2023.04.26.538456. doi: 10.1101/2023.04.26.538456. PMID: 37162965.

The Enduring Effects of COVID for Cancer Care: Learning from Real-Life Clinical Practice.
Broom A, Williams Veazey L, Kenny K, Harper I, Peterie M, Page A, Cort N, Durling J, Lipp E.S, Tan A.C, Walsh K.M, Hanks B.A, Johnson M, Van Swearingen A.E.D, Anders C.K, Ashley D.M, Khasraw M.(2023) Clin Cancer Res. May 1;29(9):1670-1677. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-23-0151. PMID: 36920243.

Tumor-intrinsic NLRP3-HSP70-TLR4 axis drives premetastatic niche development and hyperprogression during anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.
Theivanthiran, B, Yarla, N, Haykal, T, Nguyen, Y.V, Cao L, Ferreira, M, Holtzhausen, A, Al-Rohil, R, Salama, A.K.S, Beasley, G.M, Plebanek, M.P, DeVito, N.C, Hanks, B.A.(2022) Science Translational Medicine. Nov 14(672):eabq7019. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abq7019. PMID: 36417489.

Multicenter Experience with Neoadjuvant Therapy in Melanoma Highlights Heterogeneity in Contemporary Practice.
Rhodin, K.E, Gaughan, E.M, Raman, V, Salama, A.K, Hanks, B.A, Shah, R, Tyler, D.S, Slingluff, C.L Jr, Beasley, G.M.(2022) Ann Surg. Jul 7. doi: 10.1097/SLA.0000000000005459. PMID: 35797609.

The “Inside” Story on Tumor-Expressed PD-L1.
Hanks, B.A.(2022) Cancer Res. Jun 82(11):2069-2071. doi: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-22-1060. PMID: 35661198.

Identification of a Germline Pyrin Variant in a Metastatic Melanoma Patient With Multiple Spontaneous Regressions and Immune-related Adverse Events.
Oswalt, C.J, Al-Rohil, R.N, Theivanthiran, B, Haykal, T, Salama, A.K.S, DeVito, N.C, Holtzhausen, A, Ko, D.C, Hanks, B.A.(2022) J Immunother. Jul-Aug 45(6):284-290. doi: 10.1097/CJI.0000000000000425. PMID: 35621992.

APOBEC mutagenesis inhibits breast cancer growth through induction of a T cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response.
DiMarco, A.V, Qin, X, McKinney, B, Garcia, N.M.G, Van Alsten, S.C, Mendes, E.A, Force, J, Hanks, B.A, Troester, M.A, Owzar, K, Xie, J, Alvarez, J.(2022) Cancer Immunol Res. Jan 10(1):70-86. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-21-0146. PMID: 34795033.

Overcoming Immunotherapy Resistance by Targeting the Tumor-Intrinsic NLRP3-HSP70 Signaling Axis.
Theivanthiran, B, Haykal, T, Cao, L, Holtzhausen, A, Plebanek, M, DeVito, N, Hanks, B.A.(2021) Cancers. Oct 12. doi: 10.3390/cancers13194753. PMID: 34638239.

Inhibition of estrogen signaling in myeloid cells increases tumor immunity in melanoma.
Chakraborty, B, Byemerwa, J, Shepherd, J, Haines, C, Baldi, R, Gong, W, Liu, W, Mukherjee, D, Artham, S, Lim, F, Bae, Y, Brueckner, O, Tavares, K, Wardell, S, Hanks, B.A, Perou, C, Chang, C-Y, McDonnell, D.P.(2021) J Clinical Investigation. Oct 12:e151347. 10.1172/JCI151347. PMID: 34637400.

Clinical Trials with Biological Endpoints in Immuno-Oncology: Concepts and Usage.
Isaacs, J, Tan, A, Hanks, B.A, Wang, X, Owzar, K, Herndon, J.E, Antonia, S.J, Piantadosi, S, Khasraw, M.(2021) Clin Cancer Res. Jul 26. 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-21-1593. PMID: 34312214.

Pharmacological Wnt Ligand Inhibition Overcomes Key Tumor-mediated Resistance Pathways to Anti-PD-1 Checkpoint Inhibitor Immunotherapy.
DeVito, N, Sturdivant, M, Xiao, C, Theivanthiran, B, Plebanek, M, Salama, A.K.S, Beasley, G.M, Hotlzhausen, A, Novotny-Diermayr, V, Strickler, J.M, Hanks, B.A.(2021) Cell Reports. 35(5): 109071. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109071. PMID: 33951424.

Three-year survival, correlates and salvage therapies in patients receiving first-line pembrolizumab for advanced Merkel cell carcinoma.
Nghiem, P, Bhatia, S, Lipson, E, Sharfman, W, Kudchadkar, R, Brohl, A, Friedlander, P, Daud, A, Kluger, H, Reddy, S, Boulmay, B, Riker, A, Burgess, M, Hanks, B.A, Olencki, T, Kendra, K, Church, C, Akaike, T, Ramchurren, N, Shinohara, M, Salim, B, Taube, J, Jensen, E, Kalabis, M, Fling, S, Moreno, B, Sharon, E, Cheever, M, Topalian, S.(2021) ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 9(4): e002478. April. doi: 10.1136/jit-2021-002478. PMID: 33879601.

The State of Melanoma: Emergent Challenges and Opportunities.
Atkins, M.B, Fisher, D.E, Tsao, H, Gerhsenwald, J.E, Grossman, D, Curiel-Lewandrowski, C, Leachman, S.A, Ferris, L.K, Nelson, K.C, Jeter, J.M, Swetter, S.M, Aguirre-Ghiso, J.A, Weeraratna, A.T, Soengas, M.S, Hernando, E, Sullivan, R.J, Herlyn, M, Flaherty, K, Tawbi, H.A, Sosman, J.A, Fox, B.A, Hanks, B.A, Khleif, S.N, Daud, A.I, Chapman, P.B, Sondak, V.K, Chandra, S, Kirkwood, J.M, Johnson, D.J, Eroglu, Z, Pavlick, A.C, Gibney, G.T, Mays, D, Cassidy, P.B, Hanniford, D, Merlino, G.(2021) Clin Cancer Res. Jan 7. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-20-4092. PMID: 33414132.

Flt3 Ligand Significantly Augments Immune Responses to a Dendritic Cell Targeting anti-DEC-205-NY-ESO-1 Vaccine through Expansion of Dendritic Cell Subsets.
Bhardwaj, N, Friedlander, P, Pavlick, A, Ernstoff, M, Gastman, B, Hanks, B.A, Curti, B, Albertini, M.R, Luke, J, Blazquez, A, Balan, S, Bedognetti, D, Beechem, J, Crocker, A, D’Amico, L, Danaher, P, Davis, T, Hawthorne, T, Hess, B, Keler, T, Lundgren, L, Morishima, C, Ramchurren, N, Rinchai, D, Salazar, A, Salim, B, Sharon, E, Wang, E, Warren, S, Yellin, M, Disis, M, Cheever, M, Fling, S.(2020) Nature Cancer. 1: 1204-1217. November 16, 2020.

SITC Cancer Immunotherapy Biomarkers Resource Document: Resources and Useful Tools – A Compass in the Land of Biomarker Discovery.
Hu-Lieskovan, S, Bhaumik, S, Dhodapkar, K, Grivel, J.C, Gupta, S, Hanks, B.A, Janetski, S, Kleen, T.O, Koguchi, Y, Lund, A, Maccalli, C, Mahnke, Y, Novosaidly, R, Selvan, S, Sims, T, Zhao, Y, Maeker, H.T.(2020) J ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 8(2):e000705. doi: 10.1136/jitc-2020-000705. PMID: 33268350.

Tumor Mutational Burden as a Predictor of Immunotherapy Response: Is More Always Better.
Strickler, J.H, Hanks, B.A, Khasraw, M.(2020) Clin Cancer Res. Nov 16:clinccanres.3054.2020. doi:10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-20-3054. PMID: 33199494.

Ipilimumab and Radiation in Patients with High Risk Resected or Regionally Advanced Melanoma.
Salama, A.K.S, Palta, M, Rushing, C.N, Selim, M.A, Lineey, K.N, Czito, B.G, Yoo, D.S, Hanks, B.A, Beasley, G.M, Mosca, P, Dumbauld, C, Steadman, K.N, Yi, J.S, Weinhold, K.J, Tyler, D.S, Lee, W.T, Brizel, D.M.(2020) Clin Cancer Res. Nov 10:clincancres.2452.2020. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-20-2452. PMID: 33172894.

Higher BMI, but not sarcopenia, is associated with pembrolizumab-related toxicity in patients with advanced melanoma.
Hu, J.B, Ravichandran, S, Rushing, C, Beasley, G.M, Hanks, B.A, Jung, S.H, Salama, A.K.S, Ho, L, Mosca, P.J.(2020) Anticancer Res. 0(9): 5245-5254. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.14528. PMID: 32878813.

Dissecting the immune landscape of tumor draining lymph nodes in melanoma with high-plex spatially resolved protein detection.
Beasley, G.M, Therien, A.D, Holl, E.K, Al-Rohil, R, Selim, M.A, Farrow, N.E, Pan, L, Haynes, P, Tyler, D.S, Hanks, B.A, Nair, S.K.(2020) Cancer Immunol Immunother. Aug 19. doi: 10.1007/s00262-020-02698-2. PMID: 32814992.

Role of Dendritic Cell Metabolic Reprograming in Tumor Immune Evasion.
Plebanek, M, Sturdivant, M, DeVito, N, Hanks, B.A.(2020) International Journal Immunology. May 25. doi: 10.1093/intimm/dxaa036. PMID: 32449776.

A Tumor-intrinsic PD-L1-NLRP3 Inflammasome Signaling Pathway Drives Resistance to Anti-PD-1 Immunotherapy.
Theivanthiran, B, Evans, K, DeVito, N, Plebanek, M, Sturdivant, M, Holtzhausen, A, Wachsmuth, L.P, Salama, A.K.S, Kang, Y, Hsu, D, Star, M, Nixon, A, Hanks, B.A.(2020) Journal of Clinical Investigation. Pii: 133055. doi: 10.1172/JCI133055. PMID: 31921140.

Role of Tumor-Mediated Dendritic Cell Tolerization in Immune Evasion.
DeVito NC, Plebanek MP, Theivanthiran B, Hanks BA.(2019) Front Immunol. Dec 10;10:2876. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02876. eCollection 2019. PMID: 31921140.

Stromal Fibroblasts Mediate Anti-PD-1 Antibody Resistance via MMP-9 and Dictate TGF-β Inhibitor Therapy Sequencing in Melanoma.
Zhao, F, Xiao, C, Evans, K, DeVito, N, Theivanthiran, B, Holtzhausen, A, Siska, P.J, Blobe, G.C, Hanks, B.A.(2018) Cancer Immunology Research. 6(12): 1459-1471. Sept doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-18-0086. PMID: 30209062.

Editorials:

Paracrine Wnt5a-β-catenin Signaling Triggers a Metabolic Switch that Drives Dendritic Cell Tolerization and Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase Enzymatic Activity in the Melanoma Microenvironment.
Zhao, F, Xiao, C, Evans, K, Theivanthiran, T, DeVito, N, Holtzhausen, A, Liu, J, Liu, X, Boczkowski, D, Nair, S, Locasale, J.W, Hanks, B.A.(2018) Immunity. 548(1): 147-160. PMID: 29343435.

Identifying baseline immune-related biomarkers to predict clinical outcome of immunotherapy.
Gnjatic, S, Bronte, V, Brunet, L.R.; Butler, M.O, Disis, M, Galon, J, Hakansson, L.G, Hanks, B.A, Karanikas, V, Khleif, S, Kirkwood, J.M, Miller, L.D, Schendel, D.J, Tanneau, I, Wigginton, J.M, Butterfield, L.(2017) J ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 5:44. PMID: 28515944.

Genetic Risk Analysis of a Patient with Fulminant Autoimmune Type I Diabetes Mellitus Secondary to Combination Ipilimumab/Nivolumab Immunotherapy.
Lowe, J.R, Perry, D.J, Salama, A.K, Mathews, C.E, Moss, L.G, Hanks, B.A.(2016) J ImmunoTherapy of Cancer. 94:89. PMID: 28031819.

Safety and Efficacy of Radiation Therapy in Advanced Melanoma Patients Treated with Ipilimumab.
Qin, R, Olson, A, Singh, B, Thomas, S, Wolf, S, Bhavsar, N.A, Hanks, B.A, Salama, J.K, Salama, A.K.(2016) Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 96(1): 72-77. PMID: 27375168.

Immune Evasion Pathways and the Design of Dendritic Cell-based Cancer Vaccines.
Hanks B.A.(2016) Discov Med. 21(114):135-142. PMID: 27011049.

Melanoma-derived Wnt5a Promotes Local Dendritic-Cell Expression of IDO and Immunotolerance: Opportunities for Pharmacologic Enhancement of Immunotherapy.
Holtzhausen A, Zhao F, Evans K.S, Tsutsui M, Orabona C, Tyler D.S, Hanks B.A.(2015) Cancer Immunol. Res. 3(9):1082-95. doi: 10.1158/2326-6066.CIR-14-0167. Epub 2015 Jun 3. PMID: 26041736.

Rapid complete response of metastatic melanoma in a patient undergoing ipilimumab immunotherapy in the setting of active ulcerative colitis.
Bostwick A, Salama A, Hanks B.A.(2015) J Immunother Cancer 3:19. doi: 10.1186/s40425-015-0064-2. eCollection 2015. PMID: 25992290.

Early Carcinogenesis Involves the Establishment of Immune Privilege via Intrinsic and Extrinsic Regulation of Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase-1: Translational Implications in Cancer Immunotherapy.
Holtzhausen A, Zhao F, Evans K.S, Hanks B.A.(2014) Front Immunol. 5:438. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00438. eCollection 2014. PMID: 25339948.

Type III TGF-β receptor downregulation generates an immunotolerant tumor microenvironment.
Hanks B.A, Holtzhausen A, Evans K, Jamieson R, Gimpel P, Campbell O.M, Hector-Greene M, Sun L, Tewari A, George A, Starr M, Nixon, Augustine C, Beasley G, Tyler D.S, Osada T, Morse M.A, Ling L, Lyerly H.K, Blobe G.C.(2013) J Clin Invest. doi:10.1172/JCI65745. Epub 2013 Aug 8. PMID: 23925295.

Improved time to progression for transarterial chemoembolization compared with transarterial embolization for patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.
Morse M.A, Hanks B.A, Suhocki P, Doan P.L, Liu E.A, Frost P, Bernard S.A, Tsai A, Moore D.T, O’Neil B.H.(2012) Clin Colorectal Cancer. 1(3):185-90. doi: 10.1016/j.clcc.2011.11.003. Epub 2012 Jan 26. PMID: 22280845.

Pharmacological inhibition of TGFβ as a strategy to augment the antitumor immune response.
Hanks B.A, Morse M.A.(2010) Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 11(12):1342-53. PMID: 21154116.

Enhanced activation of human dendritic cells by inducible CD40 and Toll-like receptor-4 ligation.
Lapteva N, Seethammagari M.R, Hanks B.A, Jiang J, Levitt J.M, Slawin K.M, Spencer D.M.(2007) Cancer Res. 67(21):10528-37. PMID: 17974997.

Re-engineered CD40 receptor enables potent pharmacological activation of dendritic-cell cancer vaccines in vivo.
Hanks B.A, Jiang J, Singh R.A, Song W, Barry M, Huls M.H, Slawin K.M, Spencer D.M.(2005) Nat Med. 11(2):130-7. Epub 2005 Jan 23. PMID: 15665830.

Template-based docking of a prolactin receptor proline-rich motif octapeptide to FKBP12: implications for cytokine receptor signaling.
Soman K.V, Hanks B.A, Tien H, Chari M.V, O’Neal K.D, Morrisett J.D.(1997) Protein Sci. 6(5):999-1008. PMID: 9144770.

Comparison of the functional differences for the homologous residues within the carboxy phosphate and carbamate domains of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase.
Javid-Majd F, Stapleton M.A, Harmon M.F, Hanks B.A, Mullins L.S, Raushel F.M.(1996) Biochemistry. 35(45):14362-9. PMID: 8916923.

Role of conserved residues within the carboxy phosphate domain of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase.
Stapleton M.A, Javid-Majd F, Harmon M.F, Hanks B.A, Grahmann J.L, Mullins L.S, Raushel F.M.(1996) Biochemistry. 35(45):14352-61. PMID: 8916922.