title: Prognostic value of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase activity and expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is an enzyme with an immunosuppressive effect whose function is diverted by tumor cells to counteract immune cell functions, inducing immune escape of tumor cells. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of IDO in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Compared to controls, NPC patients' plasma IDO activity was significantly higher, especially among patients with metastatic cancer (p=0.005). The immunohistochemical analysis revealed that high IDO expression was observed in 74% of NPC tissues and the epithelial IDO expression was inversely correlated to T-cell infiltration. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that whatever the localization, intratumoral or stromal, patients with a high IDO expression and low T-cell infiltration have significantly lower survival rates. Moreover, in multivariate analysis, intratumoral and stromal IDO expression were found to be independent prognostic factors for disease-free survival (p=0.016; HR: 3.52) and overall survival (p=0.015; HR: 4.76) respectively. Our findings provide evidence that IDO is involved in tumor immune evasion of NPC, suggesting that it could be a relevant therapeutic target for NPC.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immuno-Oncology, Monastir University, Tunisia; Faculty of Sciences, Carthage University, Bizerte, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Ahlem
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ben-Haj-Ayed
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immuno-Oncology, Monastir University, Tunisia; Department of Anatomy and pathologic cytology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Adnène
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moussa
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immuno-Oncology, Monastir University, Tunisia; Faculty of Sciences, Carthage University, Bizerte, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Randa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ghedira
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immuno-Oncology, Monastir University, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sallouha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gabbouj
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and pathologic cytology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Souad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Miled
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immuno-Oncology, Monastir University, Tunisia; Department of Cancerology and Radiotherapy, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bouzid
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immuno-Oncology, Monastir University, Tunisia; Department of Cancerology and Radiotherapy, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Sameh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tebra-Mrad
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immuno-Oncology, Monastir University, Tunisia; Department of Cancerology and Radiotherapy, Farhat Hached University Hospital, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Noureddine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bouaouina
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immuno-Oncology, Monastir University, Tunisia; Department of Genetic Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar, Qatar.
authors.forename: Lotfi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chouchane
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immuno-Oncology, Monastir University, Tunisia; Department of Anatomy and pathologic cytology, Fattouma Bourguiba University Hospital, Tunisia.
authors.forename: Abdelfattah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zakhama
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Immuno-Oncology, Monastir University, Tunisia; High Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Monastir University, Tunisia. Electronic address: elham.hassen@isbm.rnu.tn.
authors.forename: Elham
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hassen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D050503:Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase
keywords: Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase; Nasopharyngeal carcinoma; Survivals; T-cell infiltration