PD-L1⁺ lung cancer stem cells modify the metastatic lymph-node immunomicroenvironment in nsclc patients.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are implicated in tumor initiation and development of metastasis. However, whether CSCs also affect the immune system is not fully understood. We investigated correlations between the PD-L1⁺ CSCs, changes in T-cell phenotype in metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes (LNs) and response to treatment.

Methods

LNs' aspirates were obtained during the EBUS/TBNA procedure of 20 NSCLC patients at different stages of the disease. CSCs and T-cell characteristics were determined by flow cytometry.

Results

PD-L1⁺ CSCs positively correlated with the percentage of Tregs, PD-1⁺ CD4 T cells and Tim3⁺ CD4⁺ T cells, whereas PD-L1⁺ CSCs were negatively correlated with CD4⁺

SUBMITTER: Raniszewska A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7889682 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature