Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and PD-L1 expression in brain metastases of small cell lung cancer (SCLC)

J Neurooncol. 2016 Oct;130(1):19-29. doi: 10.1007/s11060-016-2216-8. Epub 2016 Jul 19.

Abstract

Brain metastases (BM) are frequent in small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Novel insights into their pathobiology are needed for development of better therapies. We investigated tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) subsets (CD3+, CD8+, CD45RO+, FOXP3+ and PD-1+) and expression of PD-L1 in a series of 32 SCLC BM specimens and four matched primary tumor specimens using immunohistochemistry. 30/32 (93.8 %) BM specimens showed TIL infiltration. CD3+ TILs were observed in 30/32 (93.8 %) BM specimens, CD8+ TILs in 25/32 (78.1 %), CD45RO+ TILs in 15/32 (46.9 %), FOXP3+ TILs in 15/32 (46.9 %) and PD-1+ TILs in 1/32 (3.1 %) BM specimens. Patients with infiltration of CD45RO+ TILS had a significantly longer median survival time (11 months; 95 % CI 0.000-26.148) as compared to patients without the presence of CD45RO+ TILs (5 months; 95 % CI 0.966-9.034; p = 0.007; log rank test). Membranous PD-L1 on tumor cells was observed in 24/32 (75.0 %) BM specimens, with 11/32 (34.4 %) cases showing PD-L1 expression in over 5 % of viable BM tumor cells. PD-L1 expression on TILs was seen in 8/32 (25.0 %) and on tumor infiltrating macrophages in 9/32 (28.1 %) cases. Patients with PD-L1 expression on TILs presented with improved survival prognosis (6 versus 29 months; p = 0.002; log rank test). Among matched primary tumors, all (4/4; 100 %) specimens showed TIL infiltration, while PD-L1 expression found in only 1/4 (25.0 %) specimen. TIL infiltration and PD-L1 expression are commonly found in SCLC BM and presence of CD45RO+ memory T-cells and PD-L1+ TILs in SCLC BM seem to associate with favorable survival times. Our data suggest an active immune microenvironment in SCLC BM that may be targetable by immune-modulating drugs.

Keywords: Brain metastases; Immune checkpoint inhibitor; PD-L1 expression; Small cell lung cancer; Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • B7-H1 Antigen / metabolism*
  • Brain Neoplasms* / metabolism
  • Brain Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Brain Neoplasms* / secondary
  • Female
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Karnofsky Performance Status
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / metabolism
  • Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / pathology*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Repressor Proteins / metabolism
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / pathology*
  • Smoking
  • Statistics as Topic
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • B7-H1 Antigen
  • CD274 protein, human
  • FOXP1 protein, human
  • Forkhead Transcription Factors
  • Repressor Proteins