PD-L1 Expression and a High Tumor Infiltrate of CD8+ Lymphocytes Predict Outcome in Patients with Oropharyngeal Squamous Cells Carcinoma

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Sibel E. Gültekin¹  Claus Wittekindt²  Nora Wuerdemann²  Anna B. Schubotz²  Shachi J. Sharma²  Steffen Wagner²  Jens P. Klussmann³  Hans Eckel³  Christian U. Huebbers³  Ernst-Jan Speel⁴  Alexander Quaas⁵  Reinhard Büttner⁵  Katharina Pütz⁵  Stefan Gattenlöhner⁶ 

[1] Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Biskek Caddesi, Emek, University of Gazi, 06510 Ankara, Turkey;Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Klinikstrasse 33, University of Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany;Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Kerpener Strasse 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany;Department of Pathology, GROW-School for Oncology and Developmental Biology, Maastricht University Medical Center, P. Debyelaan 25, 6229 HX, USA Maastrichtthe, The Netherlands;Institute of Pathology, Kerpener Strasse 62, University of Cologne, 50937 Cologne, Germany;Institute of Pathology, Langhansstrasse 10, University of Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany;

关键词: oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma;    human papillomavirus;    programmed cell death 1 ligand 1;    CD8-positive T-lymphocytes;    MHC I;    macrophages;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms21155228

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Carcinogenesis of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related (+) oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) differs from HPV-negative (–) OPSCC. HPV-related immune-escape-mechanism could be responsible for the development and progression of HPV+ tumors and an immunophenotype different from HPV– OPSCC is expected. The purpose of this study was to analyze the expression of programmed cell death protein 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) and its prognostic relevance in relation to CD8+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I expression in OPSCC. We quantified PD-L1 expression on tumor cells (TC) and macrophages and MHC I expression in association to CD8⁺ TILs by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray derived from 171 HPV+/-OPSCC. HPV-status was determined by p16^INK4a immunohistochemistry/HPV-DNA detection. Presence of CD8⁺ TILs, PD-L1 expression on TC, and a more frequent loss of MHC I in HPV+ compared to HPV- OPSCC was detected. A high amount of CD8⁺ TILs in the whole cohort and in HPV+ OPSCC and PD-L1 expression on TC in HPV- OPSCC was associated with favorable overall survival. There was a trend for an improved outcome according to PD-L1 expression (macrophages) in HPV+ OPSCC without reaching statistical significance. CD8⁺ TILs and PD-L1-expression have prognostic impact in OPSCC and might present useful biomarkers for predicting clinical outcome and personalized therapy concepts.

【 授权许可】

Unknown