RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Implication of IL6-positive Cancer-associated Fibroblasts in Merkel Cell Carcinoma Pathogenesis: A Possible Modulator of Immune Microenvironment
JF Anticancer Research
JO Anticancer Res
FD International Institute of Anticancer Research
SP 4359
OP 4369
DO 10.21873/anticanres.15936
VO 42
IS 9
A1 ZHENG, ZHENLONG
A1 YOO, DAE SAN
A1 LI, SHANSHAN
A1 PEI, MEILING
A1 LEE, SANG GYUN
A1 KIM, JI YOUNG
A1 CHUNG, KEE YANG
A1 ROH, MI RYUNG
YR 2022
UL http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/42/9/4359.abstract
AB Background/Aim: The role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in the pathogenesis of Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological significance of CAF subpopulations and their association with tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) in patients with MCC. Materials and Methods: Clinicopathological features and the status of microenvironment fibrosis (MF) around tumor masses were evaluated in 20 MCC patient and tissue sections. Alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA)-positive CAFs (α-SMA+CAFs), interleukin-6-positive CAFs (IL6+CAFs), CD4-positive TILs (CD4+TILs), and CD8-positive TILs (CD8+TILs) in MCC tissue samples were investigated using immunohistochemistry. Results: In a total of 20 MCC patients, high-MF was detected in 12 (60%) patients which was significantly associated with worse progression-free survival (p=0.048), but not with overall survival. CD4+/CD8+ TILs were frequently detected in MCC tissues. High-intra-tumoral CD8+TIL was significantly associated with better overall and progression-free survival (p=0.04 and p=0.015) in our cohort. High-αSMA+ CAFs were detected in 11 (55.0%) patients and high-IL6+CAFs in 10 (50.0%) patients. A negative association was found between high-IL6+CAF and high-intra-tumoral CD8+TILs (p=0.005). Patients with high IL6+CAFs showed worse overall/progression-free survival than patients with low-IL6+CAFs (p=0.022 and p=0.035). Conclusion: IL6+CAFs may largely influence the tumor immune microenvironment of MCC by modulating distinct T-cell populations and functions. This study provides a possible therapeutic target to overcome resistance to immune therapies in MCC.