Expression of Immune Checkpoint Regulators, Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte Antigen-4, and Programmed Death-Ligand 1 in Epstein-Barr Virus-associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.
B7-H1 Antigen
/ metabolism
Biomarkers, Tumor
/ metabolism
CTLA-4 Antigen
/ metabolism
Epstein-Barr Virus Infections
/ immunology
Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens
/ genetics
Female
Herpesvirus 4, Human
/ physiology
Humans
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
/ metabolism
Immunohistochemistry
Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating
/ metabolism
Male
Middle Aged
Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
/ immunology
Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms
/ immunology
Neoplasm Staging
Prognosis
Survival Analysis
Journal
Applied immunohistochemistry & molecular morphology : AIMM
ISSN: 1533-4058
Titre abrégé: Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 100888796
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 07 2021
01 07 2021
Historique:
received:
06
08
2020
accepted:
14
12
2020
pubmed:
23
1
2021
medline:
7
1
2022
entrez:
22
1
2021
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common cancer arising from the nasopharynx with a poor prognosis. Targeting immune checkpoint is one of the new promising lines in cancer treatment. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) are immune checkpoints that regulate T-cell immune function. This work aimed to assess the immunohistochemical expression of PD-L1 and CTLA-4 in NPC and their ability to predict survival and response therapy and to check their validity as immunotherapy targets. Twenty-six cases of NPC were studied by immunohistochemistry for PD-L1 and CTLA-4 and by nested polymerase chain reaction followed by DNA sequencing for the presence of EBNA-1 gene of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). All investigated cases were diagnosed and treated in the Zagazig University Hospital in the period from August 2015 to July 2018. EBNA-1 gene was identified in 84.6% of the cases. Whereas the expression of PD-L1 was noted in 46.2% of all cases studied, 54.6% of EBV-associated NPCs were found to express PD-L1. There was a significant association between PD-L1 expression and the advanced stage of the tumor (P<0.001). CTLA-4 expression was observed in 88.4% of all NPC cases as cytoplasmic staining in both tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. CTLA-4 expression in lymphocytes was associated with the presence of EBV. A significant association was detected between CTLA-4 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte expression on one side and the stage of the tumor on the other. High expression of CTLA-4 was significantly associated with disease progression and worse overall survival. PD-L1 and CTLA-4 are adverse prognostic markers in NPC. The authors propose that targeted therapy against PD-L1 and CTLA-4 will be a hopeful therapy for cases of NPC with resistance to concurrent chemoradiation treatment in Egypt, especially EBV-associated cases.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common cancer arising from the nasopharynx with a poor prognosis. Targeting immune checkpoint is one of the new promising lines in cancer treatment. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) are immune checkpoints that regulate T-cell immune function.
AIM
This work aimed to assess the immunohistochemical expression of PD-L1 and CTLA-4 in NPC and their ability to predict survival and response therapy and to check their validity as immunotherapy targets. Twenty-six cases of NPC were studied by immunohistochemistry for PD-L1 and CTLA-4 and by nested polymerase chain reaction followed by DNA sequencing for the presence of EBNA-1 gene of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). All investigated cases were diagnosed and treated in the Zagazig University Hospital in the period from August 2015 to July 2018. EBNA-1 gene was identified in 84.6% of the cases. Whereas the expression of PD-L1 was noted in 46.2% of all cases studied, 54.6% of EBV-associated NPCs were found to express PD-L1. There was a significant association between PD-L1 expression and the advanced stage of the tumor (P<0.001). CTLA-4 expression was observed in 88.4% of all NPC cases as cytoplasmic staining in both tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. CTLA-4 expression in lymphocytes was associated with the presence of EBV. A significant association was detected between CTLA-4 and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte expression on one side and the stage of the tumor on the other. High expression of CTLA-4 was significantly associated with disease progression and worse overall survival.
CONCLUSION
PD-L1 and CTLA-4 are adverse prognostic markers in NPC. The authors propose that targeted therapy against PD-L1 and CTLA-4 will be a hopeful therapy for cases of NPC with resistance to concurrent chemoradiation treatment in Egypt, especially EBV-associated cases.
Identifiants
pubmed: 33480605
doi: 10.1097/PAI.0000000000000903
pii: 00129039-202107000-00001
doi:
Substances chimiques
B7-H1 Antigen
0
Biomarkers, Tumor
0
CTLA-4 Antigen
0
Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigens
0
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
0
EBV-encoded nuclear antigen 1
O5GA75RST7
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
401-408Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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