共刺激分子PD-L1在鼻咽癌组织中的表达和意义

目的探讨共刺激分子PD-L1在鼻咽癌组织的表达和临床意义,以及PD-L1的表达和鼻咽癌Foxp3+淋巴细胞增多的相关性。方法采用免疫组化方法检测共刺激分子PD-L1在64例鼻咽癌的肿瘤组织和20例慢性鼻咽炎组织的表达情况及Foxp3+淋巴细胞的分布。结果 PD-L1在鼻咽癌组织中阳性表达率为67.2%,明显高于其在慢性鼻咽炎组织中的表达,差异具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。PD-L1的阳性表达与鼻咽癌病人性别、年龄、临床分期及是否转移等指标均无显著相关性(P>0.05),但与鼻咽癌组织中Foxp3+淋巴细胞增加有关,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05),并且鼻咽癌PD-L1的表达也与Foxp3+/CD8+淋巴细胞比率增加正相关(P<0.05)。结论鼻咽癌组织PD-L1在鼻咽癌组织中高表达,并与瘤内的调节性T细胞升高及CD8+细胞下降有关,其可能在鼻咽癌的发展中起到一定作用,有望成为免疫治疗的一个新靶点。

Expression and significance of costimulatory molecule PD-L1 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective To investigate the expression and significance of PD-L1 and explore the relationship between PD-L1 protein expression and the Foxp3 expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods Immunohistochemistry method was used to detect PD-L1 and Foxp3 expression in 64 nasopharyngeal carcinomas and 20 chronic nasopharyngitis. Results Comparing with chronic nasopharyngitis, PD-L1 were increased in NPC specimens (P<0.05), but it was not significantly correlated with gender, age, lymph node metastasis and clinical stage (P>0.05). The lymphocytes with Foxp3 in NPC were also increased (P<0.05), and the density of Foxp3+ TIL was positively associated with PD-L1 (P<0.05). The ratio of Foxp3+ / CD8+ TIL was significantly up-regulated in PD-L1+ nasopharyngeal carcinoma compare to PD-L1- nasopharyngeal carcinoma (P<0.05). Conclusion These results suggest that PD-L1 may play a role in immune evasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and may be considered as a new therapy target.