Differences in PD-L1–Expressing Macrophages and Immune Microenvironment in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors
Abstract
Objectives: To characterize the tumor microenvironment of testicular germ cell tumors (GCTs) using immunohistochemical markers. Methods: Seventy-seven orchiectomies, including 36 nonmetastatic (NM) seminomas, 15 metastatic (M) seminomas, 13 nonmetastatic nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (NSGCTs), and 13 metastatic NSGCTs, were studied with PD-1, PD-L1, FOXP3, CD68, CD163, and mismatch repair (MMR) immunohistochemistry. FOXP3+ and PD-1+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) expressing CD68 and CD163 were enumerated. PDL-1 expression was evaluated on tumor cells and macrophages. Results: GCTs primarily express PD-L1 on TAMs, except choriocarcinoma, where true tumor cell positivity was noted. Seminomas reveal increased intratumoral PD-L1+ TAMs compared with NSGCTs (P < .05). Activated TILs are increased in NM-seminomas compared with M-seminomas (P < .05). All GCTs retained MMR expression. Conclusions: Robust PD-L1+ TAMs are significantly expanded in seminomas compared with NSGCTs. Among all GCTs, only choriocarcinoma cells reveal true positivity for PD-L1. These findings expand the realm of potentially targeted treatments for GCTs.
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In cases where tumor cells do not express PD-L1, there is often overexpression of PD-L1 in TAMs.
“In cases where tumor cells do not express PD-L1, there is often an overexpression of PD-L1 in TAMs.”
From The Immune Landscape and Immunotherapeutic Strategies in Platinum-Refractory Testicular Germ Cell Tumors (2024) · cites this paper as [30]
Seminomas exhibit a higher presence of PD-L1+ TAMs within the tumor compared to non-seminoma TGCTs.
“In this context, seminomas exhibit a higher presence of PD-L1+ TAMs within the tumor compared to non-seminoma TGCTs [30].”
From The Immune Landscape and Immunotherapeutic Strategies in Platinum-Refractory Testicular Germ Cell Tumors (2024) · cites this paper as [30]
Cites
Frequent PD-L1 Expression in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors
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Skowron, M. A., Eul, K., Stephan, A., Ludwig, G. F., Wakileh, G. A., Bister, A., Söhngen, C., Raba, K., Petzsch, P., Poschmann, G., et al. (2022) · Molecular Oncology · doi:10.1002/1878-0261.13282 · Cited by 20 · see citing works
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“In this context, seminomas exhibit a higher presence of PD-L1+ TAMs within the tumor compared to non-seminoma TGCTs [30].”
Background
- Authors
- Sadigh, S., Farahani, S. J., Shah, A., Vaughn, D., & Lal, P.
- Affiliations
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lal, Priti
- Venue
- American Journal of Clinical Pathology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2019-12-05
- Volume
- 153
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 387-395
- ISSN
- 0002-9173 (ISSN-L)
- 1943-7722
- OpenAlex
- W2993595932
- Cited by
- 26
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 2.17
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model (vor)
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Pathology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Testicular diseases and treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immune cells in cancer
- Keywords
- testicular germ cell tumors, PD-L1, tumor-associated macrophages, tumor microenvironment, seminoma, non-seminoma, choriocarcinoma, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, Foxp3, CD68, CD163, DNA mismatch repair, metastasis, immunotherapy targets
- MeSH terms
- CD68 Molecule, CD163 Antigen, Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Humans, Immunohistochemistry, Macrophages, Middle Aged, Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal, Orchiectomy, Receptors, Cell Surface, Testicular Neoplasms, Biomarkers, Tumor, Antigens, Differentiation, Myelomonocytic, Antigens, CD, Forkhead Transcription Factors, DNA Mismatch Repair, Young Adult, Tumor Microenvironment, B7-H1 Antigen, Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
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