Prognostic significance of natural killer cell-associated markers in gastric cancer: quantitative analysis using multiplex immunohistochemistry

Journal of Translational Medicine

Hee Young Na¹  Yujun Park¹  Kyu Sang Lee¹  Soo Kyung Nam²  Yoonjin Kwak³  Hye Seung Lee³  Jiwon Koh³  Sang-Hoon Ahn⁴  Hyung-Ho Kim⁵  Do Joong Park⁶ 

[1] Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 173-82 Gumi-ro, Bundang-gu, 13620, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea;Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, 03080, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, 03080, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, 03080, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Department of Pathology, Seoul National University Hospital, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, 03080, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 173-82 Gumi-ro, Bundang-gu, 13620, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea;Department of Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, 173-82 Gumi-ro, Bundang-gu, 13620, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea;Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, 03080, Seoul, Republic of Korea;Department of Surgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 103 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, 03080, Seoul, Republic of Korea;

关键词: Natural killer cell;    NKG2A;    Gastric cancer;    Multiplex immunohistochemistry;    Immunotherapy;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12967-021-03203-8

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundNatural killer (NK) cells mediate the anti-tumoral immune response as an important component of innate immunity. The aim of this study was to investigate the prognostic significance and functional implication of NK cell-associated surface receptors in gastric cancer (GC) by using multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC).MethodsWe performed an mIHC on tissue microarray slides, including 55 GC tissue samples. A total of 11 antibodies including CD57, NKG2A, CD16, HLA-E, CD3, CD20, CD45, CD68, CK, SMA, and ki-67 were used. CD45 + CD3-CD57 + cells were considered as CD57 + NK cells.ResultsAmong CD45 + immune cells, the proportion of CD57 + NK cell was the lowest (3.8%), whereas that of CD57 + and CD57- T cells (65.5%) was the highest, followed by macrophages (25.4%), and B cells (5.3%). CD57 + NK cells constituted 20% of CD45 + CD57 + immune cells while the remaining 80% were CD57 + T cells. The expression of HLA-E in tumor cells correlated with that in tumoral T cells, B cells, and macrophages, but not CD57 + NK cells. The higher density of tumoral CD57 + NK cells and tumoral CD57 + NKG2A + NK cells was associated with inferior survival.ConclusionsAlthough the number of CD57 + NK cells was lower than that of other immune cells, CD57 + NK cells and CD57 + NKG2A + NK cells were significantly associated with poor outcomes, suggesting that NK cell subsets play a critical role in GC progression. NK cells and their inhibitory receptor, NKG2A, may be potential targets in GC.

【 授权许可】

CC BY