1
|
Li Y, Fei Y, Liu L, Song Z, Meng X, Qiu L, Li L, Qian Z, Zhou S, Ren X, Bi C, Meng B, Zhang H, Wang X, Fu K. Programmed Cell Death Protein 1/Programmed Cell Death Ligand-1 Axis activates Intracellular ERK Signaling in Tumor Cells to Mediate Poor Prognosis in T-cell Lymphoma. J Cancer 2021; 12:6126-6134. [PMID: 34539885 PMCID: PMC8425197 DOI: 10.7150/jca.55971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose: To investigate the prognostic significance of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) and phosphorylated ERK (p-ERK) and their interactions in T-cell lymphoma (TCL). Methods: The mRNA levels of PD-L1 and ERK in TCL samples were analyzed. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues from 69 TCL patients were collected to detect the expression of PD-L1 and p-ERK by multiplexed immunofluorescence staining. The total PD-L1 and p-ERK was measured by western blotting, and membrane PD-L1 was determined using flow cytometry. Results: PD-L1 and ERK mRNA levels were significantly upregulated in TCL. The expression rates of PD-L1 and p-ERK were 52.2% and 27.5%, respectively. PD-L1 expression correlated with stage (R=0.304, P=0.011) and IPI score (R=0.313, P=0.009), and p-ERK expression correlated with stage (R=0.330, P=0.006) and IPI score (R=0.376, P=0.002). PD-L1 expression positively correlated with p-ERK expression (R=0.355, P=0.003). Patients with co-expression of PD-L1 and p-ERK had the worst overall survival (P=0.007). In three TCL cell lines with PD-L1 expression, we demonstrated that the expression of p-ERK was upregulated after stimulation with PD-1, suggesting that ERK signaling was activated. Conclusions: The PD-1/PD-L1 axis activates intracellular ERK signaling in tumor cells and that PD-L1, p-ERK or their combination are potential biomarkers for predicting the prognosis in TCL patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yang Li
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Yue Fei
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Zheng Song
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiangrui Meng
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Lihua Qiu
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Lanfang Li
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhengzi Qian
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Shiyong Zhou
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiubao Ren
- Department of Immunology/Biotherapy and Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Chengfeng Bi
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| | - Bin Meng
- Pathology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Huilai Zhang
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Xianhuo Wang
- Department of Lymphoma, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center of Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, the Sino-US Center for Lymphoma and Leukemia Research, Tianjin, China
| | - Kai Fu
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, USA
| |
Collapse
|