Assessment of programmed death-ligand 1 expression in primary tumors and paired lymph node metastases of gastric adenocarcinoma

BACKGROUND Anti-programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1(PD-1/PD-L1)immuno-therapy has demonstrated promising results on gastric cancer(GC).However,PD-L1 can express differently between metastatic sites and primary tumors(PT).AIM To compare PD-L1 status in PT and matched lymph node metastases(LNM)of GC patients and to determine the correlation between the PD-L1 status and clinicopathological characteristics.METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 284 GC patients who underwent D2-gastrectomy.PD-L1 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry(clone SP142)using the com-bined positive score.All PD-L1+PT staged as pN+were also tested for PD-L1 expression in their LNM.PD-L1(-)GC with pN+served as the comparison group.RESULTS Among 284 GC patients included,45 had PD-L1+PT and 24 of them had pN+.For comparison,44 PD-L1(-)cases with pN+were included(sample loss of 4 cases).Of the PD-L1+PT,54.2%(13/24 cases)were also PD-L1+in the LNM.Regarding PD-L1(-)PT,9.1%(4/44)had PD-L1+in the LNM.The agreement between PT and LNM had a kappa value of 0.483.Larger tumor size and moderate/severe peritumoral inflammatory response were associated with PD-L1 positivity in both sites.There was no statistical difference in overall survival for PT and LNM according to the PD-L1 status(P=0.166 and P=0.837,respectively).CONCLUSION Intra-patient heterogeneity in PD-L1 expression was observed between the PT and matched LNM.This disagreement in PD-L1 status may emphasize the importance of considering different tumor sites for analyses to select patients for immunotherapy.

Over-expression of programmed death-ligand 1 and programmed death-1 on antigen-presenting cells as a predictor of organ dysfunction and mortality during early sepsis: a prospective cohort study

BACKGROUND:This study aimed to explore the changes of programmed death-ligand 1(PDL1)and programmed death-1(PD-1)expression on antigen-presenting cells(APCs)and evaluate their association with organ failure and mortality during early sepsis.METHODS:In total,40 healthy controls and 198 patients with sepsis were included in this study.Peripheral blood was collected within the first 24 h after the diagnosis of sepsis.The expression of PDL1 and PD-1 was determined on APCs,such as B cells,monocytes,and dendritic cells(DCs),by flow cytometry.Cytokines in plasma,such as interferon-γ(IFN-γ),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-4(IL-4),IL-6,IL-10,and IL-17A were determined by Luminex assay.RESULTS:PD-1 expression decreased significantly on B cells,monocytes,myeloid DCs(mDCs),and plasmacytoid DCs(pDCs)as the severity of sepsis increased.PD-1 expression was also markedly decreased in non-survivors compared with survivors.In contrast,PD-L1 expression was markedly higher on mDCs,pDCs,and monocytes in patients with sepsis than in healthy controls and in non-survivors than in survivors.The PD-L1 expression on APCs(monocytes and DCs)was weakly related to organ dysfunction and infl ammation.The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC)of the PD-1 percentage of monocytes(monocyte PD-1%)+APACHE II model(0.823)and monocyte PD-1%+SOFA model(0.816)had higher prognostic value than other parameters alone.Monocyte PD-1%was an independent risk factor for 28-day mortality.CONCLUSION:The severity of sepsis was correlated with PD-L1 or PD-1 over-expression on APCs.PD-L1 in monocytes and DCs was weakly correlated with infl ammation and organ dysfunction during early sepsis.The combination of SOFA or APACHE II scores with monocyte PD-1%could improve the prediction ability for mortality.

Prognostic value of programmed death.1, programmed death-ligand 1, programmed death-ligand 2 expression, and CD8(+) T cell density in primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stage T1.4N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma

Background: Anti-programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1(PD-1/PD-L1) immunotherapy has been proved to be effective on gastric cancer in ongoing clinical trials. However, the value of PD-L1 in predicting responses of patients with gastric cancer to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy is controversial. Some studies suggested that intra-and inter-tumoral heterogeneity of PD-L1 expression might explain the controversy.This study aimed to analyze the expression of PD-L1, PD-L2, and PD-1 as well as CD8(+) T-cell density in primary tumors and lymph nodes from patients with stage T1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma to explore the heterogeneity of PD-1 signaling pathway molecules.Methods: In primary tumors and metastatic as well as non-metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stage T1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma, we detected PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression with immunohistochemistry. CD8(+)T-cell density in primary tumors and PD-1 expression on CD8(+)T cells were detected with immunofluorescence. Univariate analysis was used to determine the prognostic values of them. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to identify independent risk factors that affect patients' overall survival and disease-free survival.Results: Among 119 eligible patients who had undergone surgical resection, the positive rate of PD-L1 was higher in metastatic lymph nodes than in primary tumors(45.4% vs. 38.7%, P = 0.005); the positive rate of PD-1 on CD8(+)T cells was significantly higher in primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes than in tumor-free lymph nodes(both P < 0.001). The intensity of PD-1 expression on CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors and in metastatic lymph nodes were stronger than that in tumor-free lymph nodes from the same patient. Beside, the positive rate of PD-L2 did not show any differences between primary tumors and metastatic lymph nodes. In multivariate analysis, PD-L1 expression,PD-L2 expression, a low density of CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors, and PD-1 expression on CD8(+) T cells in primary tumors were associated with poor prognosis.Conclusion: The expression of PD-L1 is heterogeneous in primary tumors and in metastatic lymph nodes from patients with stageT1-4 N+M0 gastric adenocarcinoma, which might explain the inconsistent results in assessing the prognostic value of PD-L1 expression in previous studies.

Relationship Between Programmed Death-ligand 1 and Clinicopathological Characteristics in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Patients

Objective To evaluate the correlation between programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)expression in primary lung cancer cells,tumor associated macrophages(TAM)and patients’clinicopathological characteristics.Methods From 2008 to 2010,208 non-small cell lung cancer patients who underwent surgery or CT-guided biopsy were recruited from Huadong Hospital,Fudan University.Immunohistochemistry staining was performed to evaluate the PD-L1 expression in both primary lung cancer cells and CD68 positive TAM.The relationship between PD-L1 expression and the clinical pathology was evaluated usingχ2test.Spearman’s rank correlations were used to determine the correlation between PD-L1 expression in tumor cells and macrophages.Results Positive PD-L1 expression in primary cancer cells was found in 136(65.3%)patients,which were negatively correlated with lymph node metastasis(P=0.009)and smoking history(P=0.036).Besides,TAM with PD-L1 expression(found in 116 patients)was positively associated with smoking history(P=0.034),well-differentiation(P=0.029)and negative lymph node metastasis(P=0.0096).A correlation between PD-L1 expression in primary tumor cells and non-small cell lung cancer associated macrophages was found(r=0.228,P=0.021).Conclusion PD-L1,secreted from TAM,might induce cancer cells apoptosis,and decrease lymph node metastasis.

Efficacy comparison of fruquintinib,regorafenib monotherapy or plus programmed death-1 inhibitors for microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer

BACKGROUND Regorafenib(R)and fruquintinib(F)are the standard third-line regimens for colorectal cancer(CRC)according to the National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines,but both have limited efficacy.Several phase 2 trials have indicated that R or F combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors can reverse immunosuppression and achieve promising efficacy for microsatellite stable or proficient mismatch repair(MSS/pMMR)CRC.Due to the lack of studies comparing the efficacy between F,R,F plus programmed death-1(PD-1)inhibitor,and R plus PD-1 inhibitors(RP),it is still unclear whether the combination therapy is more effective than monotherapy.AIM To provide critical evidence for selecting the appropriate drugs for MSS/pMMR metastatic CRC(mCRC)patients in clinical practice.METHODS A total of 2639 CRC patients were enrolled from January 2018 to September 2022 in our hospital,and 313 MSS/pMMR mCRC patients were finally included.RESULTS A total of 313 eligible patients were divided into F(n=70),R(n=67),F plus PD-1 inhibitor(FP)(n=95)and RP(n=81)groups.The key clinical characteristics were well balanced among the groups.The median progression-free survival(PFS)of the F,R,FP,and RP groups was 3.5 months,3.6 months,4.9 months,and 3.0 months,respectively.The median overall survival(OS)was 14.6 months,15.7 months,16.7 months,and 14.1 months.The FP regimen had an improved disease control rate(DCR)(P=0.044)and 6-month PFS(P=0.014)and exhibited a better trend in PFS(P=0.057)compared with F,and it was also significantly better in PFS than RP(P=0.030).RP did not confer a significant survival benefit;instead,the R group had a trend toward greater benefit with OS(P=0.080)compared with RP.No significant differences were observed between the R and F groups in PFS or OS(P>0.05).CONCLUSION FP is superior to F in achieving 6-month PFS and DCR,while RP is not better than R.FP has an improved PFS and 6-month PFS compared with RP,but F and R had similar clinical efficacy.Therefore,FP may be a highly promising strategy in the treatment of MSS/pMMR mCRC.

C-reactive protein to albumin ratio predict responses to programmed cell death-1 inhibitors in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

BACKGROUND Over the years,programmed cell death-1(PD-1)inhibitors have been routinely used for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)treatment and yielded improved survival outcomes.Nonetheless,significant heterogeneity surrounds the outcomes of most studies.Therefore,it is critical to search for biomarkers that predict the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in patients with HCC.AIM To investigate the role of the C-reactive protein to albumin ratio(CAR)in evaluating the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors for HCC.METHODS The clinical data of 160 patients with HCC treated with PD-1 inhibitors from January 2018 to November 2022 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were retrospectively analyzed.RESULTS The optimal cut-off value for CAR based on progression-free survival(PFS)was determined to be 1.20 using x-tile software.Cox proportional risk model was used to determine the factors affecting prognosis.Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status[hazard ratio(HR)=1.754,95%confidence interval(95%CI)=1.045-2.944,P=0.033],CAR(HR=2.118,95%CI=1.057-4.243,P=0.034)and tumor number(HR=2.932,95%CI=1.246-6.897,P=0.014)were independent prognostic factors for overall survival.CAR(HR=2.730,95%CI=1.502-4.961,P=0.001),tumor number(HR=1.584,95%CI=1.003-2.500,P=0.048)and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(HR=1.120,95%CI=1.022-1.228,P=0.015)were independent prognostic factors for PFS.Two nomograms were constructed based on independent prognostic factors.The C-index index and calibration plots confirmed that the nomogram is a reliable risk prediction tool.The ROC curve and decision curve analysis confirmed that the nomogram has a good predictive effect as well as a net clinical benefit.CONCLUSION Overall,we reveal that the CAR is a potential predictor of short-and long-term prognosis in patients with HCC treated with PD-1 inhibitors.If further verified,CAR-based nomogram may increase the number of markers that predict individualized prognosis.

Efficacy and predictive factors of transarterial chemoembolization combined with lenvatinib plus programmed cell death protein-1 inhibition for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND The efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)combined with lenvatinib plus programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)for unresectable hepato-cellular carcinoma(HCC)have rarely been evaluated and it is unknown which factors are related to efficacy.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and independent predictive factors of TACE combined with lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitors for unresectable HCC.METHODS This study retrospectively enrolled patients with unresectable HCC who received TACE/lenvatinib/PD-1 treatment between March 2019 and April 2022.Overall survival(OS)and progression-free survival(PFS)were determined.The objective response rate(ORR)and disease control rate(DCR)were evaluated in accordance with the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors.Additionally,the prognostic factors affecting the clinical outcome were assessed.RESULTS One hundred and two patients were enrolled with a median follow-up duration of 12.63 months.The median OS was 26.43 months(95%CI:17.00-35.87),and the median PFS was 10.07 months(95%CI:8.50-11.65).The ORR and DCR were 61.76%and 81.37%,respectively.The patients with Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer Classification(BCLC)B stage,early neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)response(decrease),or early alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)response(decrease>20%)had superior OS and PFS than their counterparts.CONCLUSION This study showed that TACE/lenvatinib/PD-1 treatment was well tolerated with encouraging efficacy in patients with unresectable HCC.The patients with BCLC B-stage disease with early NLR response(decrease)and early AFP response(decrease>20%)may achieve better clinical outcomes with this triple therapy.

Cytokine release syndrome triggered by programmed death 1 blockade(sintilimab)therapy in a psoriasis patient:A case report

BACKGROUND In recent years,immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)have demonstrated remarkable efficacy across diverse malignancies.Notably,in patients with advanced gastric cancer,the use of programmed death 1(PD-1)blockade has significantly prolonged overall survival,marking a pivotal advancement comparable to the impact of Herceptin over the past two decades.While the therapeutic benefits of ICIs are evident,the increasing use of immunotherapy has led to an increase in immune-related adverse events.CASE SUMMARY This article presents the case of a patient with advanced gastric cancer and chronic plaque psoriasis.Following sintilimab therapy,the patient developed severe rashes accompanied by cytokine release syndrome(CRS).Fortunately,effective management was achieved through the administration of glucocorticoid,tocilizumab,and acitretin,which resulted in favorable outcomes.CONCLUSION Glucocorticoid and tocilizumab therapy was effective in managing CRS after PD-1 blockade therapy for gastric cancer in a patient with chronic plaque psoriasis.

Effectiveness and tolerability of programmed cell death protein-1 inhibitor+chemotherapy compared to chemotherapy for upper gastrointestinal tract cancers

BACKGROUND The combination of programmed cell death protein-1(PD-1)inhibitor and che-motherapy is approved as a standard first-or second-line treatment in patients with advanced oesophageal or gastric cancer.However,it is unclear whether this combination is superior to chemotherapy alone.AIM To assess the comparative effectiveness and tolerability of combining PD-1 inhibitors with chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone in patients with advanced gastric cancer,gastroesophageal junction(GEJ)cancer,or oesophageal carcinoma.METHODS We searched the PubMed and Embase databases for studies that compared the efficacy and tolerance of PD-1 inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy vs chemotherapy alone in patients with advanced oesophageal or gastric cancer.We employed either random or fixed models to analyze the outcomes of each clinical trial,en-compassing data on overall survival(OS),progression-free survival(PFS),objective response rate,and adverse events(AEs).RESULTS Nine phase 3 clinical trials(7016 advanced oesophageal and gastric cancer patients)met the inclusion criteria.Our meta-analysis demonstrated that the pooled PD-1 inhibitor+chemotherapy group had a significantly longer OS than the chemotherapy-alone group[hazard ratio(HR)=0.76,95%confidence interval(CI):0.71-0.81];the pooled PFS result was consistent with that of OS(HR=0.67,95%CI:0.61-0.74).The count of patients achieving an objective response in the PD-1 inhibitor+chemotherapy group surpassed that of the chemotherapy-alone group[odds ratio(OR)=1.86,95%CI:1.59-2.18].AE incidence was also higher in the combination-therapy group than in the chemotherapy-alone group,regardless of whether≥grade 3 only(OR=1.30,95%CI:1.07-1.57)or all AE grades(OR=1.88,95%CI:1.39-2.54)were examined.We performed a subgroup analysis based on the programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)combined positive score(CPS)and noted extended OS and PFS durations within the CPS≥1,CPS≥5,and CPS≥10 subgroups of the PD-1 inhibitor+chemotherapy group.CONCLUSION In contrast to chemotherapy alone,the combination of PD-1 inhibitor and chemotherapy appears to present a more favorable option for initial or subsequent treatment in patients with gastric cancer,GEJ tumor,or oesophageal cancer.This holds true particularly for individuals with PD-L1 CPS scores of≥5 and≥10.

Current and future drug combination strategies based on programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1 inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer

In recent years,immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICIs)have made breakthroughs in the field of lung cancer and have become a focal point for research.Programmed death-1(PD-1)or programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)inhibitor monotherapy was the first to break the treatment pattern for non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC).However,owing to the limited benefit of ICI monotherapy at the population level and its hyper-progressive phenomenon,it may not meet clinical needs.To expand the beneficial range of immunotherapy and improve its efficacy,several research strategies have adopted the use of combination immunotherapy.At present,multiple strategies,such as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors combined with chemotherapy,anti-angiogenic therapy,cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 inhibitors,and radiotherapy,as well as combined treatment with new target drugs,have been evaluated for clinical practice.To further understand the current status and future development direction of immunotherapy,herein,we review the recent progress of ICI combination therapies for NSCLC.

Nuclear Aurora kinase A triggers programmed death-ligand 1-mediated immune suppression by activating MYC transcription in triple-negative breast cancer

Background:Increasing studies have reported that oncogenes regulate components of the immune system,suggesting that this is a mechanism for tumorigenesis.Aurora kinase A(AURKA),a serine/threonine kinase,is involved in cell mitosis and is essential for tumor cell proliferation,metastasis,and drug resistance.However,the mechanism by which AURKA is involved in immune response regulation is unclear.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the role of AURKA in immune regulation in triple-negative breast cancer(TNBC).Methods:Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)were co-cultured with TNBC cells.The xCELLigence Real-Time Cell Analyzer-MP system was used to detect the killing efficiency of immune cells on TNBC cells.The expression of immune effector molecules was tested by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR)to evaluate immune function.Furthermore,to validate AURKA-regulated immune response in vivo,4T1 murine breast cancer cell line with AURKA overexpression or downregulation was engrafted into BALB/c mice.The distribution and proportion of immune cells in tumors were further evaluated by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry.Results:Downregulation of AURKA in TNBC cells increased immune response by activating CD8^(+)T cell proliferation and activity.Nuclear rather than cytoplasmic AURKA-derived programmed death-ligand 1(PD-L1)expression was independent of its kinase activity.Mechanistic investigations showed that nuclear AURKA increased PD-L1 expression via an MYC-dependent pathway.PD-L1 overexpression mostly reversed AURKA silencing-induced expression of immune effector molecules,including interleukin-(IL-2),interferon-γ(IFN-γ),and perforin.Moreover,AURKA expression was negatively correlated with the enrichment and activity of tumor-infiltrating CD8^(+)T cells in 4T1 engrafted BALB/c mouse model.Conclusions:Nuclear AURKA elevated PD-L1 expression via an MYCdependent pathway and contributed to immune evasion in TNBC.Therapies targeting nuclear AURKA may restore immune responses against tumors.

Clinical significance of programmed cell death-ligand expression in small bowel adenocarcinoma is determined by the tumor microenvironment

BACKGROUND Comprehensive genomic analysis has shown that small bowel adenocarcinoma(SBA)has different genomic profiles from gastric and colorectal cancers.Hence,it is essential to establish chemotherapeutic regimens based on SBA characteristics.The expression of programmed cell death-ligand 1(PD-L1)and programmed cell death-ligand 2(PD-L2)in SBA is not fully understood.Anti-PD-L1/PD-1 therapy uses tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes(TILs);therefore,the status of TILs in the tumor microenvironment(TME)may influence their efficacy.The ratio of FoxP3+to CD8+T cells has been reported to be useful in predicting the prognosis of digestive system cancers.AIM To investigate the clinicopathological significance of PD-L1/2 expression according to the status of TILs in SBA tissues.METHODS We performed immunohistochemical analysis for PD-L1,PD-L2,CD8,FoxP3,and DNA mismatch repair(MMR)proteins using formalin-fixed,paraffin-embedded tissues from 50 patients diagnosed with primary SBA.The immunoreactivities of PD-L1 and PD-L2 were determined separately in tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells throughout the tumor center and invasive margins,and finally evaluated using the combined positive score(CPS).We assessed CD8+and FoxP3+T cells in the intratumoral and tumor-surrounding stroma.Subsequently,we calculated and summed the ratio of FoxP3 to CD8+T cell counts.Immune-related cell densities were graded as low or high.Immunohistochemical results were compared with clinicopathological factors and patient prognosis.The distribution of cancer-specific survival(CSS)was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method,and the log-rank test was used to test for significant differences in CSS.A Cox proportional hazard model was also used to assess the effect of tumor variables on CSS.RESULTS PD-L1 expression was positive in 34%in tumor cells(T-PD-L1)and 54%in tumor-infiltrating immune cells(I-PDL1)of the cases examined.T-PD-L2 was positive in 34%and I-PD-L2 was positive in 42%of the cases.PD-L1 CPS≥10 and PD-L2 CPS≥10 were observed in 50%and 56%of the cases,respectively.Deficient MMR(dMMR)was 14%of the cases.T-PD-L1,I-PD-L1 and PD-L1 CPS≥10 were all significantly associated with dMMR(P=0.037,P=0.009,and P=0.005,respectively).T-PD-L1,I-PD-L1,and PD-L1 CPS≥10 were all associated with deeper depth of invasion(P=0.001,P=0.024,and P=0.002,respectively).I-PD-L2 expression and PD-L2 CPS≥10 were significantly higher in the differentiated histological type(P=0.015 and P=0.030,respectively).The I-PD-L1 and IPD-L2 levels were significantly associated with better CSS(P=0.037 and P=0.015,respectively).CD8-high was significantly associated with less lymph node metastasis(P=0.047),less distant metastasis(P=0.024),less peritoneal dissemination(P=0.034),and earlier TNM stage(P=0.047).The CD8-high group had better prognosis than the CD8-low group(P=0.018).FoxP3 expression was not associated with any clinicopathological factors or prognosis.We found that patients with PD-L2 CPS≥10 tended to have worse prognosis in the FoxP3/CD8-low group(P=0.088).CONCLUSION The clinicopathological significance of PD-L1/2 expression may differ depending on the TME status.Immune checkpoint inhibitors may improve the prognosis of SBA patients with low FoxP3/CD8 ratio and PD-L2 expression.

Clinical outcomes of lenvatinib plus transarterial chemoembolization with or without programmed death receptor-1 inhibitors in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Programmed death receptor-1(PD-1)inhibitors have been approved as secondline treatment regimen in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),but it is still worth studying whether patients can benefit from PD-1 inhibitors as first-line drugs combined with targeted drugs and locoregional therapy.AIM To estimate the clinical outcome of transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)and lenvatinib plus PD-1 inhibitors for patients with unresectable HCC(uHCC).METHODS We carried out retrospective research of 65 patients with uHCC who were treated at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 2017 to February 2022.45 patients received the PD-1 inhibitors,lenvatinib,TACE(PD-1-Lenv-T)therapy,and 20 received the lenvatinib,TACE(Lenv-T)therapy.In terms of the dose of lenvatinib,8 mg was given orally for patients weighing less than 60 kg and 12 mg for those weighing more than 60 kg.Of the patients in the PD-1 inhibitor combination group,15 received Toripalimab,14 received Toripalimab,14 received Camrelizumab,4 received Pembrolizumab,9 received Sintilimab,and 2 received Nivolumab,1 with Tislelizumab.According to the investigators’assessment,TACE was performed every 4-6 wk when the patient had good hepatic function(Child-Pugh class A or B)until disease progression occurred.We evaluated the efficacy by the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors(mRECIST criteria).We accessd the safety by the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events,v 5.0.The key adverse events(AEs)after the initiation of combination therapy were observed.RESULTS Patients with uHCC who received PD-1-Lenv-T therapy(n=45)had a clearly longer overall survival than those who underwent Lenv-T therapy(n=20,26.8 vs 14.0 mo;P=0.027).The median progression-free survival time between the two treatment regimens was also measured{11.7 mo[95%confidence interval(CI):7.7-15.7]in the PD-1-Lenv-T group vs 8.5 mo(95%CI:3.0-13.9)in the Lenv-T group(P=0.028)}.The objective response rates of the PD-1-Lenv-T group and Lenv-T group were 44.4%and 20%(P=0.059)according to the mRECIST criteria,meanwhile the disease control rates were 93.3%and 64.0%(P=0.003),respectively.The type and frequency of AEs showed little distinction between patients received the two treatment regimens.CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the early combination of PD-1 inhibitors has manageable toxicity and hopeful efficacy in patients with uHCC.

Expression characteristics of peripheral lymphocyte programmed death 1 and FoxP3+ Tregs in gastric cancer during surgery and chemotherapy

BACKGROUND Programmed death 1(PD-1)and CD4^(+)CD25^(+)FoxP3^(+)expression in peripheral blood T-cells has been previously reported in various types of cancer.However,the specific variation tendency during surgery and chemotherapy,as well as their relationship in gastric cancer patients,still remain unclear.Understanding this aspect may provide some novel insights for future studies on tumor recurrence and tumor immune escape,and also serve as a reference for determining the optimal timing and dose of clinical anti-PD-1 antibodies.AIM To observe and analyze the expression characteristics of peripheral lymphocyte PD-1 and FoxP3^(+)regulatory T cells(FoxP3^(+)Tregs)before and after surgery or chemotherapy in gastric cancer patients.METHODS Twenty-nine stomach cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy after a D2 gastrectomy provided 10 mL peripheral blood samples at each phase of the perioperative period and during chemotherapy.This study also included 29 agematched healthy donors as a control group.PD-1 expression was detected on lymphocytes,including CD4^(+)CD8^(+)CD45RO^(+),CD4^(+)CD45RO^(+),and CD8^(+)CD45RO^(+)lymphocytes as well as regulatory T cells.RESULTS We observed a significant increase of PD-1 expression on immune subsets and a larger number of FoxP3^(+)Tregs in gastric cancer patients(P<0.05).Following D2 gastrectomy,peripheral lymphocytes PD-1 expression and the number of FoxP3^(+)Tregs notably decrease(P<0.05).However,during postoperative chemotherapy,we only observed a decrease in PD-1 expression on lymphocytes in the CD8^(+)CD45RO^(+)and CD8^(+)CD45RO^(+)populations.Additionally,linear correlation analysis indicated a positive correlation between PD-1 expression and the number of CD4^(+)CD45RO^(+)FoxP3high activated Tregs(aTregs)on the total peripheral lymphocytes(r=0.5622,P<0.0001).CONCLUSION The observed alterations in PD-1 expression and the activation of regulatory T cells during gastric cancer treatment may offer novel insights for future investigations into tumor immune evasion and the clinical application of anti-PD-1 antibodies in gastric cancer.

Immune-related adverse events induced by programmed death protein-1 inhibitors from the perspective of lymphoma immunotherapy

Lymphoma,which is highly malignant,stems from lymph nodes and lymphoid tissue.Lymphoma cells express programmed death-ligand 1/2(PD-L1/PD-L2),which binds with programmed cell death 1 protein(PD-1)to establish inhibitory signaling that impedes the normal function of T cells and allows tumor cells to escape immune system surveillance.Recently,immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapies such as PD-1 inhibitors(nivolumab and pembrolizumab)have been introduced into the lymphoma treatment algorithm and have shown remarkable clinical efficacy and greatly improve prognosis in lymphoma patients.Accordingly,the number of lymphoma patients who are seeking treatment with PD-1 inhibitors is growing annually,which results in an increasing number of patients developing immune-related adverse events(irAEs).The occurrence of irAEs inevitably affects the benefits provided by immunotherapy,particularly when PD-1 inhibitors are applied.However,the mechanisms and characteristics of irAEs induced by PD-1 inhibitors in lymphoma need further investigation.This review article summarizes the latest research advances in irAEs during treatment of lymphoma with PD-1 inhibitors.A comprehensive understanding of irAEs incurred in immunotherapy can help to achieve better efficacy with PD-1 inhibitors in lymphoma.

Expression and clinical value of programmed cell death-ligand 1(PD-L1)in diffuse large B cell lymphoma:a retrospective study

Background: The programmed cell death-1(PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1(PD-L1) pathway inhibits the activation of T cells and plays a crucial role in the negative regulation of cellular and humoral immune responses.Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL) is the most common lymphoid malignancy in adults. In the present study, we aimed to detect the expression of PD-L1 in DLBCL and to analyze its relationship with prognosis.Methods: We reviewed medical records of 204 newly diagnosed DLBCL patients in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center between October 2005 and August 2012. The expression of PD-L1 in tumor tissues from these 204 patients was detected using immunohistochemical(IHC) assay. The expression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase(ALK), CD5,CD30, and C-Myc in tumor specimens from 109 patients was detected using IHC, and Epstein-Barr virus(EBV)-encoded RNAs(EBERs) were detected using fluorescence in situ hybridization. The Spearman method was used for correlation analysis. The Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test was used for univariate analysis. Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis.Results: Of the 204 patients, 100(49.0%) were PD-L1-positive in tumor cells and 44(21.6%) were PD-L1-positive in tumor microenvironment. PD-L1 expression in tumor cells and tumor microenvironment were more common in the non-germinal center B-cell-like(GCB) subtype than in the GCB subtype(P = 0.02 and P= 0.04). Patients with PD-L1 expression in tumor microenvironment were more likely to be resistant to first-line chemotherapy when compared with the patients without PD-L1 expression in tumor microenvironment(P = 0.03). PD-L1 expression in tumor microenvironment was negatively correlated with C-Myc expression(r =-0.20, P = 0.04). No correlations were detected between PD-L1 expression and the expression of ALK, CD5, and CD30 as well as EBERs. The 5-year overall survival(OS)rates were 50.0% and 67.3% in patients with and without PD-L1 expression in tumor cells(P = 0.02). PD-L1 expression in tumor cells was an independent risk predictor for OS(P < 0.01).Conclusions: PD-L1 expression is more common in the non-GCB subtype than in the GCB subtype. PD-L1 expression in tumor microenvironment has a negative correlation with C-Myc. PD-L1 positivity predicts short survival in DLBCL patients. For patients with PD-L1 expression, more strategy such as anti-PD-L1 antibody treatment should be recommended.

Advances on biological evaluation methods of programmed cell death protein-1/ligand-1 inhibitors

Immuno-oncology represents a groundbreaking and well-established field within cancer treatment.Among the various immuno-oncology targets,the exploration of programmed cell death-1/ligand-1 for drug discovery has proven to be one of the most successful endeavors.Remarkably,it took nearly 30 years from the initial target identification to the clinical approval of monoclonal antibodies.Providing suitable and reliable bioassays for drug candidate evaluation is of paramount importance throughout the early stages of drug discovery,from lead compound identification to in vivo efficacy testing.This assay review aims to shed light on diverse assays reported in the literature for testing antagonism activity and efficacy of programmed cell death-1/ligand-1 inhibitors.Each of these assays possesses inherent advantages and can be applied in different research scenarios.The insights presented in this summary can serve as a valuable resource for scientists in this field,aiding in the selection of appropriate assays for their specific investigations.

Combining protein arginine methyltransferase inhibitor and antiprogrammed death-ligand-1 inhibits pancreatic cancer progression

BACKGROUND Immunotherapy targeting programmed death-1(PD-1)or programmed deathligand-1(PD-L1)has been shown to be effective in a variety of malignancies but has poor efficacy in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC).Studies have shown that PD-L1 expression in tumors is an important indicator of the efficacy of immunotherapy.Tumor cells usually evade chemotherapy and host immune surveillance by epigenetic changes.Protein arginine methylation is a common posttranslational modification.Protein arginine methyltransferase(PRMT)1 is deregulated in a wide variety of cancer types,whose biological role in tumor immunity is undefined.AIM To investigate the combined effects and underlying mechanisms of anti-PD-L1 and type I PRMT inhibitor in pancreatic cancer in vivo.METHODS PT1001B is a novel type I PRMT inhibitor with strong activity and good selectivity.A mouse model of subcutaneous Panc02-derived tumors was used to evaluate drug efficacy,toxic and side effects,and tumor growth in vivo.By flow cytometry,we determined the expression of key immune checkpoint proteins,detected the apoptosis in tumor tissues,and analyzed the immune cells.Immunohistochemistry staining for cellular proliferation-associated nuclear protein Ki67,TUNEL assay,and PRMT1/PD-L1 immunofluorescence were used to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism of the antitumor effect.RESULTS Cultured Panc02 cells did not express PD-L1 in vitro,but tumor cells derived from Panc02 transplanted tumors expressed PD-L1.The therapeutic efficacy of anti-PD-L1 mAb was significantly enhanced by the addition of PT1001B as measured by tumor volume(1054.00±61.37 mm3 vs 555.80±74.42 mm3,P<0.01)and tumor weight(0.83±0.06 g vs 0.38±0.02 g,P<0.05).PT1001B improved antitumor immunity by inhibiting PD-L1 expression on tumor cells(32.74%±5.89%vs 17.95%±1.92%,P<0.05).The combination therapy upregulated tumorinfiltrating CD8+T lymphocytes(23.75%±3.20%vs 73.34%±4.35%,P<0.01)and decreased PD-1+leukocytes(35.77%±3.30%vs 6.48%±1.08%,P<0.001)in tumor tissue compared to the control.In addition,PT1001B amplified the inhibitory effect of anti-PD-L1 on tumor cell proliferation and enhanced the induction of tumor cell apoptosis.PRMT1 downregulation was correlated with PD-L1 downregulation.CONCLUSION PT1001B enhances antitumor immunity and combining it with anti-PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors provides a potential strategy to overcome anti-PD-L1 resistance in PDAC.

IMpower210:A phase Ⅲ study of second-line atezolizumab vs. docetaxel in East Asian patients with non-small cell lung cancer

Objective: IMpower210(NCT02813785) explored the efficacy and safety of single-agent atezolizumab vs.docetaxel as second-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) in East Asian patients.Methods: Key eligibility criteria for this phase Ⅲ, open-label, randomized study included age ≥18 years;histologically documented advanced NSCLC per the Union for International Cancer Control/American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system(7th edition);Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 or 1;and disease progression following platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced or metastatic NSCLC. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive either atezolizumab(1,200 mg) or docetaxel(75 mg/m^(2)). The primary study endpoint was overall survival(OS) in the intention-to-treat(ITT) population with wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor expression(ITT EGFR-WT) and in the overall ITT population.Results: Median OS in the ITT EGFR-WT population(n=467) was 12.3 [95% confidence interval(95% CI),10.3-13.8] months in the atezolizumab arm(n=312) and 9.9(95% CI, 7.8-13.9) months in the docetaxel arm[n=155;stratified hazard ratio(HR), 0.82;95% CI, 0.66-1.03]. Median OS in the overall ITT population was 12.5(95% CI, 10.8-13.8) months with atezolizumab treatment and 11.1(95% CI, 8.4-14.2) months(n=377) with docetaxel treatment(n=188;stratified HR, 0.87;95% CI, 0.71-1.08). Grade 3/4 treatment-related adverse events(TRAEs) occurred in 18.4% of patients in the atezolizumab arm and 50.0% of patients in the docetaxel arm.Conclusions: IMpower210 did not meet its primary efficacy endpoint of OS in the ITT EGFR-WT or overall ITT populations. Atezolizumab was comparatively more tolerable than docetaxel, with a lower incidence of grade3/4 TRAEs.

铜绿假单胞菌脓毒症患者程序性细胞死亡受体1/程序性细胞死亡配体1信号通路相关蛋白与短期临床预后的相关性分析

目的探讨程序性细胞死亡受体1/程序性细胞死亡配体1(PD-1/PD-L1)信号通路相关蛋白对铜绿假单胞菌(PA)脓毒症患者短期临床预后的影响。方法选择2021年1月—2023年6月宁夏医科大学总医院收治的122例PA脓毒症患者为研究对象,均根据脓毒症治疗指南和实际病情开展治疗。收集患者临床资料、治疗前慢性健康状况评分系统Ⅱ(APACHEⅡ)评分;治疗前抽取外周静脉血测定T淋巴细胞水平(CD3^(+)、CD4^(+)、CD8^(+))以及血清PD-1和PD-L1水平。结果122例PA脓毒症患者入住急诊重症监护室及其他科室后28 d存活101例(82.79%,存活组),死亡21例(17.21%,死亡组)。存活组与死亡组患者高血压比率、慢性阻塞性肺病比率、慢性肝病比率、APACHEⅡ评分、CD4^(+)、CD4^(+)/CD8^(+)、PD-1和PDL-1比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。单因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,基础疾病(高血压、慢性阻塞性肺病、慢性肝病)、APACHEⅡ评分、CD4^(+)/CD8^(+)、PD-1和PD-L1均是PA脓毒症患者短期生存的影响因素(P<0.01)。多因素Logistic回归分析结果显示,基础疾病(高血压、慢性阻塞性肺病、慢性肝病)、APACHEⅡ评分、PD-1和PD-L1均是PA脓毒症患者短期生存的影响因素(P<0.01)。结论PD-1/PD-L1信号通路对PA脓毒症患者的临床预后有影响,该通路相关蛋白表达上调可增加PA脓毒症患者短期临床预后不良的风险。