肺癌是世界性疾病,每年因其死亡的人數(shù)比例居所有腫瘤的首位[1]。隨著PD-L1/PD-1抑制劑[2-4]在晚期非小細(xì)胞肺癌(non-small cell lung carcinoma,NSCLC)中應(yīng)用取得了顯著療效,PD-L1表達(dá)的預(yù)后意義備受關(guān)注。前期研究[5]探索了PD-L1在NSCLC組織的表達(dá)情況及其影響因素,尚未發(fā)現(xiàn)PD-L1在NSCLC組織中表達(dá)有明顯規(guī)律性,但發(fā)現(xiàn)PD-L1表達(dá)與TNM分期存在一定程度的相關(guān)性,為避免這一因素干擾,將研究對(duì)象定義為早期(Ⅰ~Ⅱ期)和Ⅲ~Ⅳ期兩組,探討NSCLC中PD-L1表達(dá)的預(yù)后意義。有體外研究顯示PD-L1能調(diào)節(jié)糖酵解相關(guān)酶類,直接影響腫瘤部位的代謝[6]。本研究旨在進(jìn)一步探索PD-L1表達(dá)與腫瘤組織分子水平代謝活性的反應(yīng)指標(biāo)最大標(biāo)準(zhǔn)攝取值(maximum standardized uptake value,SUVmax)之間的關(guān)聯(lián)。
收集2008年4月至2014年8月就診于天津醫(yī)科大學(xué)腫瘤醫(yī)院,經(jīng)肺部根治術(shù)及病理明確診斷為NSCLC的122例初治患者相關(guān)臨床影像、病理資料及石蠟標(biāo)本。臨床分期根據(jù)第8版國際肺癌腫瘤-淋巴結(jié)-轉(zhuǎn)移(tumornode-metastasis,TNM)分為:Ⅰ期31例,Ⅱ期32例,Ⅲ期58例,Ⅳ期1例。患者信息通過其術(shù)后就診檢查記錄、信訪、電話隨訪所得,隨訪日期截止至2016年8月30日,隨訪時(shí)間為12~90個(gè)月,中位隨訪時(shí)間為37個(gè)月,至隨訪結(jié)束30例(24.5%)患者死亡。
1.2.1 免疫組織化學(xué)檢測(cè) 石蠟塊連續(xù)切片,石蠟切片常規(guī)脫蠟,高溫高壓修復(fù)2 min(修復(fù)液pH為9.0的乙二胺四乙酸),3%H2O2溶液封閉;加PD-L1一抗1:400(美國Proteintech公司),4℃冰箱過夜,加二抗增強(qiáng)及二抗,37℃30 min;DAB顯色;蘇木素復(fù)染1~2 min,1%的鹽酸酒精浸泡10 s,水洗5 min。梯度酒精脫水,封片。
1.2.2 結(jié)果判斷 2名病理科醫(yī)生采用盲法判讀結(jié)果。PD-L1染色陽性為腫瘤細(xì)胞膜和(或)細(xì)胞質(zhì)出現(xiàn)棕黃色或棕褐色顆粒。在高倍鏡下隨機(jī)選擇5個(gè)視野計(jì)數(shù)陽性細(xì)胞數(shù),每個(gè)視野至少計(jì)數(shù)200個(gè)細(xì)胞。目前PD-L1陽性表達(dá)尚無明確定義,PD-L1染色結(jié)果判定根據(jù)陽性腫瘤細(xì)胞所占腫瘤細(xì)胞百分比進(jìn)行半定量分析,以陽性細(xì)胞百分比中位數(shù)為界,原發(fā)灶PD-L1分為陰性、低表達(dá)組和高表達(dá)組(圖1)。
患者影像數(shù)據(jù)通過DiscoveryST4 PET/CT掃描儀(美國GE公司)獲取。18F-FDG為pH值5~7,放射化學(xué)純度≥95%的等滲溶液,由天津醫(yī)科大學(xué)腫瘤醫(yī)院分子影像及核醫(yī)學(xué)診療科提供。檢查前患者需禁食6 h以上,且空腹血糖<6.8 mmol/L,經(jīng)肘前靜脈注射劑量為3.7 MBq/kg~4.81 MBq/kg的顯影劑,平靜休息約60 min后行全身PET/CT顯像,顯影范圍為顱底部至股骨中段,最后由2名以上核醫(yī)學(xué)醫(yī)師將所得圖像行衰減校正及迭代法重建,在放射性核素濃聚灶部位設(shè)置感興趣區(qū)(region of interest,ROI),通過計(jì)算機(jī)軟件計(jì)算出該區(qū)的SUVmax。
圖1 免疫組織化學(xué)法檢測(cè)原發(fā)灶PD-L1表達(dá)(IHC×400)
采用SPSS 21.0軟件進(jìn)行統(tǒng)計(jì)學(xué)分析。等級(jí)變量相關(guān)性分析采用Spearman法,SUVmax在PD-L1分組中的差異性采用Kruskal-Wallis檢驗(yàn),生存分析采用Kaplan-Meier和Cox風(fēng)險(xiǎn)回歸模型。P<0.05為差異具有統(tǒng)計(jì)學(xué)意義。
考慮到PD-L1低表達(dá)組和高表達(dá)組例數(shù)少,在早期肺癌患者分析中將其結(jié)合分為陰性、陽性兩組,PDL1陰性組OS較陽性組長(P=0.017,圖2),而Ⅲ~Ⅳ期中兩組OS無顯著差異(P=0.882,圖3)。
圖2 63例NSCLC患者PD-L1表達(dá)陰性與陽性組的預(yù)后
圖3 59例Ⅲ~Ⅳ期NSCLC患者PD-L1表達(dá)陰性與陽性組的預(yù)后
早期NSCLC患者單因素生存分析中,腫瘤最大徑和PD-L1是OS的影響因素(P=0.042,P=0.029),性別、年齡、病理類型、CEA水平和SUVmax分組不是OS影響因素(P>0.05),PD-L1(HR=4.518,95%CI:1.176~17.352;P=0.028)和腫瘤最大徑(HR=1.404,95%CI:1.020~1.933;P=0.037)均是早期NSCLC患者的獨(dú)立預(yù)后因子(表1);Ⅲ~Ⅳ期NSCLC患者單因素生存分析中,性別、病理類型、腫瘤最大徑、SUVmax分組是OS的影響因素(P=0.011,P=0.001,P=0.008,P=0.029),年齡、CEA水平、PD-L1對(duì)OS無明顯影響(P>0.05,表2)。
SUVmax根據(jù)ROC曲線計(jì)算界值為10.6,分為低值組≤10.6,高值組>10.6;PD-L1表達(dá)與SUVmax無相關(guān)性(P=0.880),SUVmax在PD-L1分組中無顯著性差異(表3)。
表1 早期NSCLC患者生存分析
表2 Ⅲ、Ⅳ期NSCLC患者生存分析
表3 PD-L1表達(dá)與SUVmax的相關(guān)性分析
前期研究[5]中發(fā)現(xiàn)PD-L1與CD3+T細(xì)胞、淋巴細(xì)胞PD-1以及EGFR基因突變水平無相關(guān)性,原發(fā)病灶與相應(yīng)轉(zhuǎn)移淋巴結(jié)之間的PD-L1表達(dá)水平也無關(guān)聯(lián)。本研究進(jìn)一步分析PD-L1表達(dá)在NSCLC患者預(yù)后的意義,結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn)PD-L1表達(dá)是早期NSCLC患者的獨(dú)立預(yù)后因子,尚不能成為Ⅲ~Ⅳ期NSCLC患者生存的預(yù)后相關(guān)因素。
既往相關(guān)研究中對(duì)PD-L1表達(dá)的預(yù)后預(yù)測(cè)價(jià)值存在爭議:兩項(xiàng)研究[7-8]表明PD-L1過表達(dá)與預(yù)后呈正相關(guān),兩項(xiàng)研究[9-10]表明PD-L1過表達(dá)與預(yù)后呈負(fù)相關(guān),還有三項(xiàng)研究[11-13]表明兩者無顯著相關(guān)性。近期發(fā)表的1篇Meta分析[14]共納入15項(xiàng)研究3 116例NSCLC患者來分析PD-L1過表達(dá)與臨床因素及預(yù)后的關(guān)系,其中的亞組分析結(jié)果顯示,PD-L1過表達(dá)與亞洲NSCLC患者OS時(shí)間更短有關(guān)(HR=1.84,95%CI:1.14-2.28;P<0.001),分析結(jié)果還提示,PD-L1過表達(dá)與分期較晚、腫瘤分化程度低相關(guān),而與其他臨床因素及EGFR突變情況不相關(guān)。日本的一項(xiàng)研究[15]結(jié)果與此類似,在I期NSCLC中PD-L1表達(dá)的患者預(yù)后更差,而且該研究中PD-L1陽性患者的腫瘤復(fù)發(fā)率幾乎是PD-L1陰性的2倍。由于PD-L1/PD-1信號(hào)通路激活,發(fā)揮負(fù)性調(diào)控作用,使腫瘤局部微環(huán)境T細(xì)胞免疫效應(yīng)降低,誘導(dǎo)T細(xì)胞發(fā)生免疫耐受、甚至凋亡,促進(jìn)T細(xì)胞耗竭,并增強(qiáng)Treg功能,從而介導(dǎo)腫瘤免疫逃逸,促進(jìn)腫瘤發(fā)展[16-18]。這可能是PD-L1陽性患者OS相對(duì)較短,預(yù)后差的原因。PD-L1過表達(dá)不僅在NSCLC患者中提示侵襲性高,預(yù)后差[19],類似結(jié)論在肝癌、結(jié)直腸癌等腫瘤中也有報(bào)道[20]。
PD-L1過表達(dá)不能成為分期較晚的NSCLC患者預(yù)后影響因素的原因比較復(fù)雜。首先,PD-L1表達(dá)機(jī)制尚不十分明確,既受腫瘤細(xì)胞基因調(diào)控[21-22],又可能被過繼性免疫釋放因子如IFN-γ等誘導(dǎo)表達(dá)[23];其次,TNM分期越晚,患者腫瘤微環(huán)境越復(fù)雜,患者預(yù)后所受影響因素就越多;再次,患者后期接受的治療方案不盡一致,以及納入樣本量較少,PD-L1負(fù)性調(diào)控作用可能不明顯等。
PD-L1作為免疫調(diào)節(jié)蛋白,不僅結(jié)合PD-1向T細(xì)胞發(fā)出抑制信號(hào),還在腫瘤微環(huán)境中增強(qiáng)腫瘤細(xì)胞糖酵解速率,耗盡葡萄糖,從而使免疫細(xì)胞處于“饑餓”狀態(tài)[6]。假如腫瘤細(xì)胞高表達(dá)PD-L1,促進(jìn)自身糖酵解,從而使腫瘤細(xì)胞攝取更多的“糖”,該環(huán)境可能會(huì)表現(xiàn)出的高水平SUVmax,但本研究結(jié)果證實(shí),SUVmax與PDL1表達(dá)無相關(guān)性。與Lopci等[24]研究結(jié)果一致。目前相關(guān)研究較少,PD-L1表達(dá)與SUVmax的關(guān)系尚無明確定論,值得進(jìn)一步探索。
本研究中,PD-L1表達(dá)是早期NSCLC患者的獨(dú)立預(yù)后因子,尚不能成為分期較晚的NSCLC患者的預(yù)后因子。雖然NSCLC原發(fā)病灶SUVmax水平和PD-L1表達(dá)相關(guān)性不明顯,但是探索腫瘤微環(huán)境中免疫分子和代謝的關(guān)系,對(duì)更好地認(rèn)識(shí)免疫抑制機(jī)制如何發(fā)揮作用,對(duì)腫瘤預(yù)后和根據(jù)免疫分子制定治療方案有重要的臨床意義。
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