The prognostic value of CD8⁺ CTLs, CD163⁺ TAMs, and PDL1 expression in the tumor microenvironment of primary central nervous system lymphoma

Abstract

To explore immune cell infiltration and PDL1 expression in the tumor microenvironment (TME) of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL), we performed immunohistochemical staining on paraffin-embedded tumor tissues from 34 patients diagnosed with PCNSL. CD8 and CD163 positive cells were manually counted, and PDL1 expression was quantified by the H-score scoring method in the tumor center and around the tumor. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to analyze the prognostic value of the TME. We found obvious infiltration of CD8⁺ CTLs and CD163⁺ TAMs in the TME of PCNSL patients. And PDL1 was expressed in the tumor center as well as around the tumor. Survival analysis showed that high CD8⁺ CTLs levels and high intratumoral PDL1 expression were significantly correlated with longer OS. High CD8⁺ CTLs and CD163⁺ TAMs levels were associated with longer PFS.

Keywords:

• Primary central nervous system lymphoma
• tumor microenvironment
• CD8⁺ CTLs
• CD163⁺ TAMs
• PDL1

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Mr. Peng Zhang from the Department of Pathology of Lanzhou University Second Hospital for technical assistance, and Department of Pathology, Lanzhou University Second Hospital for providing pathological specimens.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Author contributions

Conceptualization: Qiqi Jin and Chongyang Wu; Methodology: Qiqi Jin, Haoyun Jiang, and Ningning Yue; Formal analysis and data curation: Litian Zhang and Cuicui Li; Writing-original draft: Qiqi Jin and Haoyun Jiang; Writing-review and editing: Chi Dong, Pengyun Zeng, and LinglingYue; Project administration and funding acquisition: Chongyang Wu. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Ethics approval

This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by Lanzhou University Second (Date 2 March 2022/No. 2022A-118).

Consent to participate

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [Chongyang Wu], upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the [National Natural Science Foundation of China #1] under Grant [number 8226010026]; [Scientific Research Project of Gansu Province #2] under Grant [number 22JR11RA053]; and [The “CuiYing postgraduate tutor” training program of Lanzhou University Second Hospital #3] under Grant [number 201710].