| Title: |
Immuno-Activated, Highly Expressing PD-1 Phenotype in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Is Associated with a Lower Recurrence Rate |
| Authors: |
Hess, Gabriel F.; Ercan, Caner; Wilhelm, Alexander; Zeindler, Jasmin; Coto-Llerena, Mairene; Däster, Silvio; Muenst, Simone; Vosbeck, Jürg; Di Tommaso, Luca; Bolli, Martin; Terracciano, Luigi M.; Kollmar, Otto; Piscuoglio, Salvatore; Soysal, Savas D. |
| Source: |
Pathobiology ; volume 92, issue 3, page 157-168 ; ISSN 1015-2008 1423-0291 |
| Publisher Information: |
S. Karger AG |
| Publication Year: |
2025 |
| Description: |
Introduction: Curative treatments in early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are limited by high recurrence rates, and targeted therapies against HCC are rare. Tumour microenvironment (TME) plays a crucial role. One strategy is the expression of programmed cell death receptor 1 ligand (PD-L1), whose receptor PD-1 is expressed on activated T cells. The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has shown antitumour activity. In HCC, ICIs are proposed as a possible first- and second-line therapy. The expression of PD-1 and PD-L1 in the TME is of prognostic importance and can predict response to ICIs. Our study aimed to investigate the impact of intratumoural PD-1 and PD-L1 expression on HCC recurrence and its relation to cancer-immune phenotypes. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was performed on archival tissue from 93 HCC, using the antibodies NAT105 (PD-1) and Ventana SP263 (PD-L1). Tumours were classified as immunologically active, excluded, or deserted. PD-1 and PD-L1 immunoreactivity was evaluated as the proportion of positive immune cells compared to the total immune cells (0%, 1%). Results: HCC with PD-1 expression in >1% of immune cells had a significantly lower recurrence rate than tumours with 1% (77%; 48/62). Tumours with both characteristics had a significantly lower recurrence rate (p = 0.039). Conclusion: PD-1 expression on immune cells is associated with a lower recurrence rate in HCC, suggesting a role in HCC recurrence. The therapeutic use of adjuvant anti-PD-1 antibodies should thus be viewed critically and investigated further. |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| DOI: |
10.1159/000543933 |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.1159/000543933; https://karger.com/article-pdf/doi/10.1159/000543933 |
| Rights: |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ ; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.6B02D806 |
| Database: |
BASE |