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Pea A, Paolino G, Martelli F, Bariani E, Piccoli P, Sereni E, Salvia R, Lawlor RT, Cheng L, Chang D, Scarpa A, Luchini C. Characterization and digital spatial deconvolution of the immune microenvironment of intraductal oncocytic papillary neoplasms (IOPN) of the pancreas. Virchows Arch 2023; 483:157-165. [PMID: 37086293 PMCID: PMC10412653 DOI: 10.1007/s00428-023-03543-4] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Intraductal oncocytic papillary neoplasm (IOPN) of the pancreas is a distinct entity from intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) and is considered one of the precursor lesions of pancreatic cancer. Through immunohistochemistry (IHC) and an artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach, this study aims at characterizing its immune microenvironment. Whole-slide IHC was performed on a cohort of 15 IOPNs, 2 of which harboring an associated adenocarcinoma. The following markers were tested: CD3, CD4, CD8, CD20, CD68, CD163, PD-1, PD-L1, MLH1, PMS2, MSH2, and MSH6. The main findings can be summarized as follows: (i) CD8+ T lymphocytes were the predominant immune cells (p < 0.01); (ii) the vast majority of macrophages were concurrently CD68+ and CD163+; (iii) all tumors showed an activated PD-1/PD-L1 axis, but none had mismatch repair deficiency; (iv) AI-based analysis revealed the presence of 2 distinct regions in each case, namely, Re1, localized at the center of the tumor, and Re2, located at tumor periphery; (v) the infiltrating component of the 2 invasive IOPNs showed a smaller extent of Re1 and a reduced rate of CD4+ cells, as well as a larger extent of Re2 and increased rate of CD8+ cells. IOPNs are lesions enriched in immune cells, with a predominance of CD8+ T lymphocytes and class 2 macrophages. Differently from IPMN-oncogenesis, the progression towards invasive carcinoma is accompanied by an increased rate of CD8+ lymphocytes. This finding may suggest the presence of an active self-immune surveillance in invasive IOPNs, potentially explaining, at least in part, the excellent survival rate of IOPN patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Pea
- Department of Surgery, the Pancreas Institute, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
- The Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, G128QQ, Glasgow, UK
| | - Gaetano Paolino
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Filippo Martelli
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Elena Bariani
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Paola Piccoli
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Sereni
- Department of Surgery, the Pancreas Institute, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Roberto Salvia
- Department of Surgery, the Pancreas Institute, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Rita T Lawlor
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
- ARC-Net Research Center, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Liang Cheng
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University Warren Alpert Medical School, Lifespan Academic Medical Center, and the Legorreta Cancer Center at Brown University, Providence, RI, 02903, USA
| | - David Chang
- The Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, G128QQ, Glasgow, UK
- West of Scotland Pancreatic Unit, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, G40SF, Glasgow, UK
| | - Aldo Scarpa
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
- ARC-Net Research Center, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Claudio Luchini
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Pathology, University of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy.
- ARC-Net Research Center, University and Hospital Trust of Verona, 37134, Verona, Italy.
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