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Updated: Dec 31, 2025
Isolation and Flow Cytometric Analysis of Glioma-infiltrating Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells
Published on: November 28, 2015
CTLA-4 correlates with immune and clinical characteristics of glioma
Fangkun Liu1, Jing Huang2,3, Xuming Liu4
11Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University (CSU), 87 Xiangya Rd, Changsha, 410008 Hunan China.
Background:
CTLA-4 is a well-studied immune checkpoint protein that negatively regulates T cell-mediated immune responses. However, the expression of CTLA-4 in glioma and the effects of CTLA-4 on prognosis in patients with glioma have not yet been examined.
Methods:
We investigated the protein level of CTLA-4 in human glioma samples, extracted genetic and clinical data from 1024 glioma patients to characterize CTLA-4 expression and its relationship with immune functions in gliomas. R language was used for statistical analysis.
Results:
Higher CTLA-4 expression was found in patients with higher grade, isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-wild-type, and mesenchymal-molecular subtype gliomas than in patients with lower grade, IDH-mutant, and other molecular subtype gliomas. Further analysis showed that there was a strong positive correlation between CTLA-4 and the specific marker gene expression of immune cells, including CD8+ T cells, regulatory T cells, and macrophages in both databases, suggesting that higher CTLA-4 expression in the glioma microenvironment induced greater immune cell infiltration compared with that in gliomas with lower CTLA-4 expression. We further explored the associations between CTLA-4 and other immune-related molecules. Pearson correlation analysis showed that CTLA-4 was associated with PD-1, CD40, ICOS, CXCR3, CXCR6, CXCL12 and TIGIT. Patients with glioma with lower CTLA-4 expression exhibited significantly longer overall survival. Thus, these findings suggested that increased CTLA-4 expression conferred a worse outcome in glioma.
Conclusions:
In summary, our findings revealed the expression patterns and clinical characteristics of CTLA-4 in glioma and may be helpful for expanding our understanding of antitumor immunotherapy in gliomas.
Insights
Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) is expressed at higher levels in aggressive gliomas. Increased CTLA-4 correlates with immune cell infiltration and worse patient survival, suggesting its role in glioma progression.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Immunology
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) is a key immune checkpoint regulator.
- CTLA-4's role and expression in glioma remain largely uncharacterized.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate CTLA-4 expression in human glioma.
- To determine the relationship between CTLA-4 expression, glioma characteristics, immune infiltration, and patient prognosis.
Main Methods:
- Protein levels of CTLA-4 were analyzed in human glioma samples.
- Genetic and clinical data from 1024 glioma patients were utilized.
- Statistical analysis was performed using R language.
Main Results:
- Higher CTLA-4 expression was observed in high-grade, IDH-wild-type, and mesenchymal gliomas.
- CTLA-4 expression positively correlated with immune cell markers (CD8+ T cells, Tregs, macrophages).
- Lower CTLA-4 expression was associated with significantly longer overall survival in glioma patients.
Conclusions:
- CTLA-4 expression patterns and clinical associations in glioma were elucidated.
- Findings suggest CTLA-4 influences the glioma microenvironment and patient outcomes.
- This research may inform the development of novel glioma immunotherapies.
