Expression of Mismatch Repair Proteins in Merkel Cell Carcinoma

Abstract

We aimed to assess for the first time the mismatch repair (MMR) protein expression in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Immunohistochemistry was performed for MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2 on patients’ tumor tissue (n = 56), including neighbored healthy control tissue. In cases with low-level MMR expression (p = 0.0004 to p p > 0.05). MCC appears to be a malignancy characterized by low-level MMR rather than completely deficient MMR in a subset of cases, predominantly affecting MCPyV-negative tumors. Future studies will establish whether this subset of MCC patients respond better to immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

Keywords

• Merkel cell carcinoma
• Merkel cell polyomavirus
• mismatch repair deficiency
• microsatellite instability
• immune checkpoint inhibitors
• immunotherapy