CD1B Expression in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Its Implications for Prognosis and Immunotherapy Outcomes

The absence of the estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a hallmark of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which results in fewer treatment options and inferior clinical outcomes. The major histocompatibility complex family includes CD1B. By exposing T cells to lipid antigens, it alters immunological responses. Although the function of CD1B has been investigated in a number of malignancies, its relevance in TNBC has not been fully investigated.

In this study, immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of tissue samples and public databases was carried out to examine the expression of CD1B and its implications for prognosis in TNBC.

Compared to normal tissues, TNBC tissues demonstrated significantly higher levels of CD1B expression. Better overall survival, including survival without distant metastases and survival without recurrence, was found to be associated with higher levels. Additionally, more immune cells, primarily memory B cells and regulatory T cells, entering the TNBC region were found to be associated with greater levels of CD1B. It was found that the immunological microenvironment of TNBC was significantly affected by CD1B. The association between CD1B and immune-related pathways was also identified by examining functional enrichment. Drug sensitivity can be used to identify potential CD1B-targeting therapies. According to these results, CD1B might be a useful prognostic indicator and a possible target for treatment in TNBC.

Nevertheless, additional experimental verification is required to verify the clinical significance of CD1B.