The Immune Microenvironment of Chordomas: An Immunohistochemical Analysis
Authors: Jean Marc Dumollard
Maroa Dridi
Michel P√©oc&#x27;h
Jean Boutonnat
Fran√ßois Vassal
Georgia Karpathiou
David Meyronet
Emmanuel Jouanneau
Lila Krebs-Drouot
C√©dric Barrey
Sylvain Grange
Timoth√©e Jacquesson
Journal: Cancers (2021)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: CD20; CD4; CD8; MECA-79; PD-L1
Affiliations: Pathology Department, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, 42055 Saint-Etienne, France., Pathology Department, University Hospital of Grenoble, 38700 Grenoble, France., East Pathology Institute, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69677 Lyon, France., Neurosurgery Department, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, 42055 Saint-Etienne, France., Claude Bernard University, Lyon 1, 69100 Lyon, France., Department of Neurosurgery B, Neurological Hospital Pierre Wertheimer, 69500 Lyon, France., Radiology Department, University Hospital of Saint-Etienne, 42055 Saint-Etienne, France.

Abstract:  Chordomas are rare sarcomas that are usually treated by surgery and/or radiotherapy since these are chemo-resistant tumors, but immunotherapy could be a possible option for chordoma patients. However, few reports investigating the composition of the chordoma immune microenvironment exist. We immunohistochemically studied 81 chordomas regarding their immune microenvironment factors and compared them with clinicopathological data. Macrophages and CD4 cells were the most prominent inflammatory cell populations, followed by CD8 T cells, while CD20 B cells and high endothelial venules (MECA-79+) were less frequently found. PD-L1 (22C3) expression by inflammatory cells was found in 21 (26%) tumors and was associated with a larger tumor size. None of the cases showed the expression of PD-L1 by tumor cells. Survival analysis showed that younger patients had a better overall survival. Considering the immunohistochemical factors studied, higher CD8, the presence of PD-L1+ immune cells, and higher vascular density were adverse prognostic factors, but in multivariate analysis, only PD-L1+ immune cells retained prognostic significance. To conclude, chordoma tumor cells do not express PD-L1, but PD-L1+ immune cells seem to play a negative prognostic role, supporting the need for further studies in this field and the possible beneficial role of immunotherapy in these patients. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 Figure 6.  Cell apoptosis rate detected by TUNEL .  Sham and Inhibitor panel appear to be the same. The Model panel appears in work by other authors, identified as  Sham . Figure 6 from [Lu Lu (2020)] :  Cell apoptosis detected via TUNEL staining .  , 
 Fig 3 (lower left) and (upper left) Fig 3 from [Chen et al (2019)] .  With a little rescaling, pairs of bands are remarkably similar (right); , 
 Figure 6 again:  Cell apoptosis rate detected by TUNEL .  Two panels appear in work by other authors, with different labels. Figure 7 from [Qi et al 2019)] :  Cell apoptosis in each group .  , 
 #2 Extended. Upper left: Figure 4 from [Lou et al (2019)]  Expressions of related proteins detected via Western blotting Fig 3 (middle left) from [Chen et al (2019)] , and (lower left) Fig 3 from [Xie et al (2020)] . With a little rescaling, pairs and triplets of bands reveal unexpected similarities (right).  , 
 Upper left: Fig 3 from [Lu Lu (2020)] . Middle left: Fig 3 from [Chen et al (2019)] , and Lower left: Fig 3 from [Xie et al (2020)] . Upper right: Figure 3 from [Cai et al (2020)] . A versatile loading band. No authors in common.  , 
 Another overlap between Figure 1 from this paper, now with Figure 2 from HD Lou, doi: 10.26355 eurrev_201908_18621 - https: pubpeer.com publications D1194F22B8521E1BBF96F17D378181, marked here in blue.  ,