Stem-like CD8 T cells in stage I lung adenocarcinoma as a prognostic biomarker: A preliminary study

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the presence of stem-like CD8 T (CD8 T[sub.SL]) cells in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and explore their relationships with the clinical outcomes. Methods: Multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) was performed to identify CD8 T[sub.SL] and antigen-presenting cells (APC) in 76 LUAD patients. Differences in the number of CD8 T[sub.SL] cells based on tumor stage and the spatial relationships between CD8 T[sub.SL] cells and APC niches were determined. The optimal cutoff value of CD8 T[sub.SL] cells for predicting survival in patients with stage I LUAD was calculated. Results: CD8 T[sub.SL] cells were present in all tumors, and their numbers were significantly higher in stage I patients than in stage III patients (P = 0.010); CD8 T[sub.SL] cells located in the APC niches accounted for 69.7 (53/76) of the hotspot fields. The optimal cutoff value for the number of CD8 T[sub.SL] cells required to predict the overall survival (OS) in patients with stage I LUAD was 2.5 per 10000 μm[sup.2]. The median OS and progression-free survival (PFS) in the high-level group (>2.5) were significantly (P < 0.001) longer than those in the low-level group (≤2.5). The number of CD8 T[sub.SL] cells was an independent prognostic factor for stage I LUAD. Patients with more CD8 T[sub.SL] cells had a lower risk of death and disease progression than those with less CD8 T[sub.SL] cells. Conclusion: CD8 T[sub.SL] cells were observed in patients with stages I-III LUAD and might serve as prognostic biomarkers for stage I LUAD. Keywords: Antigen-presenting cells, lung cancer, overall survival, progression-free survival, stem-like CD8 T cells
Author(s): Jing Sang [1,2]; Peng Liu [1]; Meixiang Wang [1]; Fengkuo Xu [1]; Ji Ma [1]; Zhigang Wei (corresponding author) [1]; Xin Ye (corresponding author) [1] INTRODUCTION Lung cancer has [...]