Low Level FLT3LG is a Novel Poor Prognostic Biomarker for Cervical Cancer with Immune Infiltration

Abstract

Lihua chen,1,2,* Yuxuan Huang,3,4,* Binhua Dong,3,4 Yu Gu,1,2 Ye Li,3,4 Wei Cang,1,2 Pengming Sun,3,4 Yang Xiang1,2 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 2National Clinical Research Center for Obstetric & Gynecologic Diseases, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People’s Republic of China; 3Laboratory of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Gynecology, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China; 4Fujian Key Laboratory of Women and Children’s Critical Diseases Research, Fuzhou, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to workCorrespondence: Yang Xiang, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, No. 1 Shuai Fu Yuan Wang Fu Jing, Dong Cheng District, Beijing, 100730, People’s Republic of China, Tel [phone], Fax [phone], Email [email protected] Pengming Sun, Fujian Provincial Maternity and Child Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, 18 Daoshan Road, Fuzhou, Fujian, 350001, People’s Republic of China, Tel [phone], Fax [phone], Email [email protected]: The FMS-related tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) ligand (FLT3LG), a growth factor, binds to FLT3 on dendritic cell (DCs) to enhance their differentiation and expansion. It has shown great potential as an immunotherapy target for cancers. However, the expression and function of FLT3LG in cervical cancer remain largely unknown.Materials and Methods: In this study, we obtained the expression of FLT3LG, the clinical prognosis in cervical cancer, via multiple databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the TISIDB database, and Tumor Immune Estimate Resource (TIMER). The results were further investigated using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) cytology specimens in 489 patients. Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier Cox regression and prognostic nomogram analyses were used to assess FLT3LG’s clinical significance in cervical cancer patients. All calculations used the R package.Results: As a result, FLT3LG expression decreased in cervical cancer compared with standard samples. And the low expression of FLT3LG was associated with a poor prognosis. Furthermore, Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis indicated that FLT3LG might serve as a valuable diagnostic biomarker for cervical cancer. Additionally, it indicated that the FLT3LG had the highest odds ratio (OR=10.519; (7.371– 27.071)) for detecting CIN 2+. In addition, our result also demonstrated that expression of FLT3LG was closely related to immune cells, immune inhibitors, immunostimulators, receptors, and chemokines in CESC.Conclusion: Research on FLT3LG provided insight into its critical function. Hence, the low expression of FLT3LG may be a valuable biomarker in CESC patients linked with immune infiltration.Keywords: FLT3LG, cervical cancer, prognosis, tumor-infiltrating, immune cells, immunotherapy

Keywords

• flt3lg
• cervical cancer
• prognosis
• tumor-infiltration
• immune cells
• immunotherapy