Increased NY-ESO-1 Expression and Reduced Infiltrating CD3+ T Cells in Cutaneous Melanoma

Abstract EN

NY-ESO-1 is a cancer-testis antigen aberrantly expressed in melanomas, which may serve as a robust and specific target in immunotherapy.

NY-ESO-1 antigen expression, tumor features, and the immune profile of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes were assessed in primary cutaneous melanoma.

NY-ESO-1 protein was detected in 20% of invasive melanomas (16/79), rarely in in situ melanoma (1/10) and not in benign nevi (0/20).

Marked intratumoral heterogeneity of NY-ESO-1 protein expression was observed.

NY-ESO-1 expression was associated with increased primary tumor thickness ( P = 0.007 ) and inversely correlated with superficial spreading melanoma ( P < 0.02 ).

NY-ESO-1 expression was also associated with reduced numbers and density of CD3+ tumor infiltrating lymphocytes ( P = 0.017 ).

When NY-ESO-1 protein was expressed, CD3+ T cells were less diffusely infiltrating the tumor and were more often arranged in small clusters ( P = 0.010 ) or as isolated cells ( P = 0.002 ) than in large clusters of more than five lymphocytes.

No correlation of NY-ESO-1 expression with gender, age, tumor site, ulceration, lymph node sentinel status, or survival was observed.

NY-ESO-1 expression in melanoma was associated with tumor progression, including increased tumor thickness, and with reduced tumor infiltrating lymphocytes.