Diagnostics (Sep 2021)

A Combined TLR7/TLR9/GATA3 Score Can Predict Prognosis in Biliary Tract Cancer

  • Vittorio Branchi,
  • Laura Esser,
  • Corinna Boden,
  • Azin Jafari,
  • Jonas Henn,
  • Philipp Lingohr,
  • Maria A. Gonzalez-Carmona,
  • Marc Schmitz,
  • Tobias J. Weismüller,
  • Christian P. Strassburg,
  • Steffen Manekeller,
  • Glen Kristiansen,
  • Jörg C. Kalff,
  • Hanno Matthaei,
  • Marieta I. Toma

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics11091597
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 9
p. 1597

Abstract

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Biliary tract cancer (BTC) refers to a heterogenous group of epithelial malignancies arising along the biliary tree. The highly aggressive nature combined with its silent presentation contribute to the dismal prognosis of this tumor. Tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) are frequently present in BTC and there is growing evidence regarding their role as therapeutic targets. In this study, we analyzed the immune cell infiltration in BTC and developed a promising immune signature score to predict prognosis in BTC. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was carried out on tissue microarray sections from 45 patients with resectable cholangiocarcinoma for the detection of 6-sulfoLacNAc+ monocytes (slanMo), BDCA-2+ plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC), CD8+ or CD4+T-lymphocytes, CD103+ cells, GATA3+ cells, Toll-like receptor (TLR) 3, 7 and 9-expressing cells as well as programmed cell death protein 1 and programmed cell death ligand 1 positive cells. Data from the IHC staining were analyzed and correlated with clinicopathological and survival data. High expression of TLR7, TLR9, and GATA3 was associated with improved overall survival (OS, Log-rank p p p < 0.01).

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