Prognostic significance of programmed cell death-ligand 1 expression on immune cells and epithelial-mesenchymal transition expression in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
- Abstract
- Purpose: Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been shown significant oncological improvements in several cancers. However, ICIs are still in their infancy in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) have been known as prognostic factors in HCC. Therefore, we have focused on identifying the molecular mechanisms between each marker to evaluate a predictive role.
Methods: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded samples were obtained from 166 patients with HCC who underwent surgery. The expression of PD-L1 and TILs and EMT marker were evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis.
Results: The multivariate analysis showed that TIL expression (hazard ratio [HR], 0.483; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.269-0.866; P = 0.015) were independent prognostic factors for overall survival. The prognostic factors for disease-free survival were EMT marker expression (HR, 1.565; 95% CI, 1.019-2.403; P = 0.005). Patients with high expression of TILs had significantly better survival compared to patients with low expression (P = 0.023). Patients who were TIL+/EMT- showed a significantly better prognosis than those who were TIL-/EMT+ (P = 0.049).
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that PD-L1 expression of TILs is closely associated with EMT marker expression in HCC. Clinical investigations using anti-PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in patients with EMT-associated PD-L1 upregulation are warranted.
- All Author(s)
- Hae Il Jung
; Hyein Ahn
; Mee-Hye Oh
; JongHyuk Yun
; Hyunyong Lee
; Sang Ho Bae
; Yung Kil Kim
; Sung Yong Kim
; Moo-Jun Baek
; Moon-Soo Lee
- Issued Date
- 2023
- Type
- Article
- Keyword
- Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Prognosis; Programmed cell death 1 ligand 2 protein; Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes
- Publisher
- 대한외과학회
- ISSN
- 2288-6575
; 2288-6796
- Citation Title
- Annals of surgical treatment and research
- Citation Volume
- 105
- Citation Number
- 5
- Citation Start Page
- 297
- Citation End Page
- 309
- Language(ISO)
- eng
- DOI
- 10.4174/astr.2023.105.5.297
- URI
- http://schca-ir.schmc.ac.kr/handle/2022.oak/1298
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