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Fiorentino V, Pizzimenti C, Franchina M, Pepe L, Russotto F, Tralongo P, Micali MG, Militi GB, Lentini M. Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Immunohistochemical Expression and Cutaneous Melanoma: A Controversial Relationship. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:676. [PMID: 38203846 PMCID: PMC10779806 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is traditionally considered one of the most "immunogenic" tumors, eliciting a high immune response. However, despite the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), melanoma cells use strategies to suppress antitumor immunity and avoid being eliminated by immune surveillance. The PD-1 (programmed death-1)/PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1) axis is a well-known immune escape system adopted by neoplastic cells. Therefore, immunotherapy with PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors is quickly becoming the main treatment approach for metastatic melanoma patients. However, the clinical utility of PD-L1 expression assessment in CM is controversial, and the interpretation of PD-L1 scores in clinical practice is still a matter of debate. Nonetheless, the recent literature data show that by adopting specific PD-L1 assessment methods in melanoma samples, a correlation between the expression of such a biomarker and a positive response to PD-1-based immunotherapy can be seen. Our review aims to describe the state-of-the-art knowledge regarding the prognostic and predictive role of PD-L1 expression in CM while also referring to possible biological explanations for the variability in its expressions and related treatment responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Fiorentino
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Cristina Pizzimenti
- Department of Biomedical, Dental, Morphological and Functional Imaging Sciences, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy;
| | - Mariausilia Franchina
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Ludovica Pepe
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Fernanda Russotto
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Pietro Tralongo
- Department of Women, Children and Public Health Sciences, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Agostino Gemelli IRCCS University Hospital Foundation, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Marina Gloria Micali
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
| | - Gaetano Basilio Militi
- Department of Sciences for Promotion of Health and Mother and Child Care, Anatomic Pathology, University of Palermo, 90133 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Maria Lentini
- Department of Human Pathology in Adult and Developmental Age “Gaetano Barresi”, University of Messina, 98125 Messina, Italy; (M.F.); (L.P.); (F.R.); (M.G.M.); (M.L.)
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Cazzato G, Lettini T, Colagrande A, Trilli I, Ambrogio F, Laface C, Parente P, Maiorano E, Ingravallo G. Immunohistochemical Expression of Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) in Human Cutaneous Malignant Melanoma: A Narrative Review with Historical Perspectives. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1252. [PMID: 37372432 DOI: 10.3390/genes14061252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is the primary ligand of the receptor programmed death-1 (PD-1) which is constitutively expressed or activated in myeloid, lymphoid (T, B and NK), normal epithelial cells, and cancer. The PD-1/PD-L1 interaction is crucial for the physiological development of immunological tolerance but also in the development of the cancer. Among these, malignant melanoma represents a tumour in which the immunohistochemical expression of PD-L1 is important to guide future therapeutic choices based on the presence/absence of expression. Various clones have been used over time for immunohistochemical determination, and different results and heterogeneity remain among the various studies in the literature. We perform a narrative review of the present studies in order to discuss and take stock of what certain achievements have been made in this field, what challenges remain, and what possible solutions can be found.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerardo Cazzato
- Section of Molecular Pathology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Teresa Lettini
- Section of Molecular Pathology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Anna Colagrande
- Section of Molecular Pathology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Irma Trilli
- Odontomatostologic Clinic, Department of Innovative Technologies in Medicine and Dentistry, University of Chieti, 66100 Chieti, Italy
| | - Francesca Ambrogio
- Section of Dermatology and Venereology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Carmelo Laface
- Medical Oncology, Dario Camberlingo Hospital, 72021 Francavilla Fontana, BR, Italy
| | - Paola Parente
- Pathology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ospedale Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, FG, Italy
| | - Eugenio Maiorano
- Section of Molecular Pathology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Ingravallo
- Section of Molecular Pathology, Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area (DiMePRe-J), University of Bari, 70124 Bari, Italy
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