학술논문
Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy Changes the Landscape of Soluble Immune Checkpoint Molecules in Patients With Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer
Document Type
article
Author
Source
Frontiers in Oncology, Vol 12 (2022)
Subject
Language
English
ISSN
2234-943X
Abstract
BackgroundWe aimed to investigate clinical implications of specific soluble immune checkpoint molecules (sICMs) in locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT).MethodsWe prospectively enrolled 30 LARC patients treated with nCRT and collected blood samples from them before, during, and after nCRT for prospective studies. Immune checkpoints often refer to T cell surface molecules influencing the immune response. Immune checkpoints, in the form of a soluble monomeric form, is widely present in blood. In the study, eight immune checkpoint-related plasma proteins, including programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), CD80, CD86, CD28, CD27, glucocorticoid-induced tumor necrosis factor receptor (GITR), GITR ligand (GITRL), and inducible T-cell costimulator (ICOS), were measured using the Luminex platform. Two independent pathologists categorized patients as the good responders and the poor responders according to Dworak tumor regression grade (TRG).ResultsOf the 30 patients, the levels of sPD-L1, sCD80, sCD86, sCD28, sGITR, sGITRL, sCD27, and sICOS decreased during nCRT (Pre-nCRT vs. During-nCRT, all p0.05). In the 14 good responders, the levels of sICMs, other than sGITR (p=0.081) and sGITRL (p=0.071), decreased significantly during nCRT (Pre-nCRT vs. During-nCRT, p