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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

PD-L1 assessment in pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma: a pilot study

Authors: Giulia Bertolini, Luca Bergamaschi, Andrea Ferrari, Salvatore L. Renne, Paola Collini, Cecilia Gardelli, Marta Barisella, Giovanni Centonze, Stefano Chiaravalli, Cinzia Paolino, Massimo Milione, Maura Massimino, Michela Casanova, Patrizia Gasparini

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2018

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Abstract

Background

Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMSs) are the most frequent soft tissue sarcoma in children and adolescents, defined by skeletal muscle differentiation and the status of FOXO1 fusions. In pediatric malignancies, in particular RMS, scant and controversial observations are reported about PD-L1 expression as a putative biomarker and few immune checkpoint clinical trials are conducted.

Methods

PD-L1 assessment was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) utilizing two anti-PDL1 antibodies, in a pilot cohort of 25 RMS. Results were confirmed in primary and commercial RMS cell lines by cytofluorimetric analysis and IHC.

Results

PD-L1 expression was detectable, by both anti-PD-L1 antibodies, in the immune contexture of immune cells infiltrating and/or surrounding the tumor, in 15/25 (60%) RMS, while absent expression was observed in neoplastic cells. Flow cytometry analysis and PD-L1 IHC of commercial and primary RMS cell lines confirmed a very small percentage of PD-L1 positive-tumor cells, under the detection limits of conventional IHC. Interestingly, increased PD-L1 expression was observed in the immune contexture of 4 RMS cases post chemotherapy compared to their matched pre-treatment samples.

Conclusion

Here we identify a peculiar pattern of PD-L1 expression in our RMS series with scanty positive-tumor cells detected by flow cytometry, and recurrent expression in the immune cells surrounding or infiltrating the tumor burden.
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Metadata
Title
PD-L1 assessment in pediatric rhabdomyosarcoma: a pilot study
Authors
Giulia Bertolini
Luca Bergamaschi
Andrea Ferrari
Salvatore L. Renne
Paola Collini
Cecilia Gardelli
Marta Barisella
Giovanni Centonze
Stefano Chiaravalli
Cinzia Paolino
Massimo Milione
Maura Massimino
Michela Casanova
Patrizia Gasparini
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-018-4554-8

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