ES-SCLC Patients with PD-L1+ CTCs and High Percentages of CD8+PD-1+T Cells in Circulation Benefit from Front-Line Immunotherapy Treatment

Author:

Xagara Anastasia1ORCID,Roumeliotou Argyro2,Kokkalis Alexandros13,Tsapakidis Konstantinos13ORCID,Papakonstantinou Dimitris2ORCID,Papadopoulos Vassilis13,Samaras Ioannis13,Chantzara Evagelia13,Kallergi Galatea2ORCID,Kotsakis Athanasios13ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Laboratory of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, GR-41110 Larissa, Greece

2. Laboratory of Biochemistry/Metastatic Signaling, Section of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, Department of Biology, University of Patras, GR-26504 Patras, Greece

3. Department of Medical Oncology, University General Hospital of Larissa, GR-41110 Larissa, Greece

Abstract

SCLC is an aggressive cancer type with high metastatic potential and bad prognosis. CTCs are a valuable source of tumor cells in blood circulation and are among the major contributors to metastasis. In this study we evaluated the number of CTCs that express PD-L1 in treatment-naïve ES-SCLC patients receiving ICI in a front-line setting. Moreover, we explored the percentages of different immune T-cell subsets in circulation to assess their potential role in predicting responses. A total of 43 patients were enrolled—6 of them with LS-SCLC, and 37 with ES-SCLC disease. In addition, PBMCs from 10 healthy donors were used as a control group. Different T-cell subtypes were examined through multicolor FACS analysis and patients’ CTCs were detected using immunofluorescence staining. SCLC patients had higher percentages of PD-1-expressing CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ T-cells, as well as elevated PD-1 protein expression compared to healthy individuals. Additionally, in ES-SCLC patients, a positive correlation between CD3+CD8+PD-1+ T-cells and PD-L1+ CTCs was detected. Importantly, patients harboring higher numbers of CD3+CD8+PD-1+ T-cells together with PD-L1+CTCs had a survival advantage when receiving front-line immunotherapy. Thus, this study proposes, for first time possible, immune cell–CTCs interaction, as well as a potential novel clinical biomarker for ICI responses in ES-SCLC patients.

Funder

European Regional Development Fund of the European Union

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology,Medicine (miscellaneous)

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3