Yayi He1, Keyi Jia2, Rafal Dziadziuszko3, Sha Zhao4, Xiaoshen Zhang5, Juan Deng6, Hao Wang7, Fred R Hirsch8, Caicun Zhou9. 1. Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 2250601@qq.com. 2. Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China; Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: jekyll_1206@163.com. 3. Department of Oncology and Radiotherapy, Medical University of Gdansk, M. Skłodowskiej-Curie 3a Street, 80-210, Gdańsk, Poland. Electronic address: rafald@gumed.edu.pl. 4. Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China; Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: zhaosha093388@163.com. 5. Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China; Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: beakham13@126.com. 6. Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China; Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 15300752282@163.com. 7. Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China; Tongji University, No. 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 1323609890@qq.com. 8. Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, 80045, CO, USA. Electronic address: Fred.Hirsch@mssm.edu. 9. Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University Medical School Cancer Institute, Tongji University School of Medicine, No. 507 Zhengmin Road, Shanghai, 200433, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: caicunzhoudr@163.com.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: Lung cancer has the highest incidence and fatality among all cancers. Our research analyzed the expression of galectin-9 on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor cells and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the expression level of galectin-9 protein in 136 NSCLC primary tumor samples by immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: We tested 136 surgical resected primary NSCLC tumor tissues for galectin-9 from Medical University of Gdansk, Poland. We found that on tumor cells, galectin-9 level only had correlation with T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM-3) level (Correlation Coefficient = 0.360, p < 0.001). On TILs, galectin-9 level had broad connections with other checkpoints including programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) (Correlation Coefficient = 0.332, p < 0.001), programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) (Correlation Coefficient = 0.247, p = 0.004) and TIM-3 (Correlation Coefficient = 0.350, p < 0.001). Interestingly, galectin-9 level on TILs also had positive relation with PD-L1 level on tumor cells (Correlation Coefficient = 0.278, p = 0.001), galectin-9 level on tumor cells (Correlation Coefficient = 0.181, p = 0.035) and TIL percentage (Correlation Coefficient = 0.236, p = 0.006). High level of galectin-9 on TILs indicated shorter RFS (recurrence-free survival) (RFS 1.82 years, 95% CI 0.795-2.845 vs. 0.67 years, 95% CI 0.086-1.254, P = 0.033). Patients with galectin-9 positive tumor cells display longer overall survival (OS) (1.76 years, 95% CI 0.222-3.298 vs. 3.10 years, 95% CI 2.662-3.538, P = 0.039) CONCLUSIONS: We found galectin-9 expression on both NSCLC tumor cells and TILs. Galectin-9 expression was found in all NSCLC pathological type. Galectin-9 level on TILs had correlation with TIM-3, PD-1 and PD-L1 level. On tumor cells, galectin-9 level had correlation with TIM-3 level. Patients with low galectin-9 level on tumor cells or high galectin-9 level on TILs were more likely to have poor prognosis.
OBJECTIVES:Lung cancer has the highest incidence and fatality among all cancers. Our research analyzed the expression of galectin-9 on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor cells and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the expression level of galectin-9 protein in 136 NSCLC primary tumor samples by immunohistochemistry (IHC). RESULTS: We tested 136 surgical resected primary NSCLC tumor tissues for galectin-9 from Medical University of Gdansk, Poland. We found that on tumor cells, galectin-9 level only had correlation with T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-domain containing-3 (TIM-3) level (Correlation Coefficient = 0.360, p < 0.001). On TILs, galectin-9 level had broad connections with other checkpoints including programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) (Correlation Coefficient = 0.332, p < 0.001), programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) (Correlation Coefficient = 0.247, p = 0.004) and TIM-3 (Correlation Coefficient = 0.350, p < 0.001). Interestingly, galectin-9 level on TILs also had positive relation with PD-L1 level on tumor cells (Correlation Coefficient = 0.278, p = 0.001), galectin-9 level on tumor cells (Correlation Coefficient = 0.181, p = 0.035) and TIL percentage (Correlation Coefficient = 0.236, p = 0.006). High level of galectin-9 on TILs indicated shorter RFS (recurrence-free survival) (RFS 1.82 years, 95% CI 0.795-2.845 vs. 0.67 years, 95% CI 0.086-1.254, P = 0.033). Patients with galectin-9 positive tumor cells display longer overall survival (OS) (1.76 years, 95% CI 0.222-3.298 vs. 3.10 years, 95% CI 2.662-3.538, P = 0.039) CONCLUSIONS: We found galectin-9 expression on both NSCLC tumor cells and TILs. Galectin-9 expression was found in all NSCLC pathological type. Galectin-9 level on TILs had correlation with TIM-3, PD-1 and PD-L1 level. On tumor cells, galectin-9 level had correlation with TIM-3 level. Patients with low galectin-9 level on tumor cells or high galectin-9 level on TILs were more likely to have poor prognosis.