Characterization of TIM-3 Expression and Its Correlation with TNF-α and IFN-γ in Patients with Surgically Resected Lung Adenocarcinoma. (21st February 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tan, Jian; Shen, Piao; Yang, Xingping; Cai, Weijie; Liao, Hongying
• Other Names: Niu Xing Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Disease markers. Volume 2023(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-02-21
• Subjects: Diagnosis -- Periodicals; Biochemical markers -- Periodicals; Pathology -- Periodicals; 616
• DOI: 10.1155/2023/2352945
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0278-0240

Abstract

Abstract : Objective . T cell immunoglobulin and mucin-containing protein-3 (TIM-3) is an important immune checkpoint, but its role in lung cancer is still not clear. In this study, we investigated TIM-3 protein expression and its correlation with TNF- α and IFN- γ by examining the tissues of patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Methods . We detected the mRNA quantity of TIM-3, TNF- α, and IFN- γ in 40 surgically resected specimens from patients with lung adenocarcinoma by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The protein expression of TIM-3, TNF- α, and IFN- γ was assessed in normal tissues, paracarcinoma tissues, and tumor tissues by western blotting, respectively. The relevance between the expression and clinicopathological information of the patients was analyzed. Results . The results showed that the expression level of TIM-3 was higher in tumor tissues than normal tissues and paracancerous tissues (P < 0.05 ). On the contrary, the expression of TNF- α and IFN- γ in tumor tissues was lower than normal tissues and paracarcinoma tissues (P < 0.05 ). However, the expression levels of IFN- γ mRNA were not observed to be significantly different between cancerous tissues and adjacent tissues. While TIM-3 protein expression in cancer tissues of patients with lymph node metastasis was higher than in patients without metastasis, the expression of TNF- α and IFN- γ was lower (P < 0.05 ). Importantly, the expression of TIM-3 was negatively correlated with the expression of TNF- α and IFN- γ, and the expression of TNF- α was found to be positively correlated with IFN- γ in the patient. Conclusion . The high expression of TIM-3, the low expression of TNF- α and IFN- γ, and the synergistic effect of TNF- α and IFN- γ in patients with lung adenocarcinoma were closely related to poor clinicopathological characteristics. Overexpression of TIM-3 may play an important role in the relationship between TNF- α and IFN- γ secretion and poor clinicopathological characteristics.