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PD-L1 expression in papillary renal cell carcinoma
Takanobu Motoshima1,2, Yoshihiro Komohara3, Chaoya Ma1
1Department of Cell Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto, 860-8556, Japan.
Background:
The immune escape or tolerance of cancer cells is considered to be closely involved in cancer progression. Programmed death-1 (PD-1) is an inhibitory receptor expressed on activating T cells, and several types of cancer cells were found to express PD-1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) and ligand 2 (PD-L2).
Methods:
In the present study, we investigated PD-L1/2 expression in papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC).
Result:
We found PD-L1 expression in 29 of 102 cases, but no PD-L2 expression was seen. PD-L1 expression was not significantly correlated with any clinicopathological factor, including progression-free survival and overall survival. The frequency of PD-L1-positive cases was higher in type 2 (36%) than in type 1 (22%) pRCC; however, there was no significant difference in the percentages of score 0 cases (p value = 0.084 in Chi-square test). The frequency of high PD-L1 expression cases was higher in type 2 (23%) than in type 1 (11%), and the frequency of high PD-L1 expression cases was higher in grade 3/4 (21%) than in grade 1/2 (13%). However, no significant association was found between PD-L1 expression and all clinicopathological factors in pRCC.
Conclusion:
High expression of PD-L1 in cancer cells was potentially associated to highly histological grade of malignancy in pRCC. The evaluation of the PD-L1 protein might still be useful for predicting the efficacy of anti-cancer immunotherapy using immuno-checkpoint inhibitors, however, not be useful for predicting the clinical prognosis.
Insights
Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) was expressed in papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC), but not PD-L2. High PD-L1 expression may correlate with higher tumor grade, but not prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Renal Cell Carcinoma Research
Background:
- Cancer cells can evade immune detection through mechanisms like immune tolerance.
- Programmed death-1 (PD-1) is an inhibitory receptor on T cells.
- PD-1 ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, are expressed by various cancer cells.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression of PD-L1 and PD-L2 in papillary renal cell carcinoma (pRCC).
- To determine the correlation between PD-L1/2 expression and clinicopathological factors in pRCC.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression in 102 pRCC cases.
- Statistical correlation analysis with clinicopathological factors, including survival outcomes.
Main Results:
- PD-L1 expression was detected in 29% of pRCC cases; PD-L2 was not detected.
- PD-L1 expression showed a trend towards higher frequency in type 2 pRCC and higher histological grades (3/4).
- No significant correlation was found between PD-L1 expression and progression-free survival or overall survival.
Conclusions:
- High PD-L1 expression in pRCC may be associated with a higher histological grade of malignancy.
- PD-L1 evaluation might aid in predicting immunotherapy efficacy but not clinical prognosis in pRCC.
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