Expression of EPHRIN-A1, SCINDERIN and MHC class I molecules in head and neck cancers and relationship with the prognostic value of intratumoral CD8+ T cells.

Background: Our group has previously shown that EPHRIN-A1 and SCINDERIN expression by tumor cells rendered them resistant to cytotoxic T lymphocyte-mediated lysis. Whereas the prognostic value of EPHRIN-A1 expression in cancer has already been studied, the role of SCINDERIN presence remains to be established. In the present work, we investigated the prognosis value of EPHRIN-A1 and SCINDERIN expression in head and neck carcinomas. In addition, we monitored the HLA-class I expression by tumor cells and the presence of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells to evaluate a putative correlation between these factors and the survival prognosis by themselves or related to EPHRIN-A1 and SCINDERIN expression.

Methods: Tumor tissue sections of 83 patients with head and neck cancer were assessed by immunohistochemistry for the expression of EPHRIN-A1, SCINDERIN, HLA class I molecules and the presence of CD8+ T cells.

Results: No significant prognosis value could be attributed to these factors independently, despite a tendency of association between EPHRIN-A1 and a worse clinical outcome. No prognostic value could be observed when CD8+ T cell tumor infiltration was analyzed combined with EPHRIN-A1, SCINDERIN or HLA class I expression.

Conclusion: These results highlight that molecules involved in cancer cell resistance to cytotoxic T lymphocytes by themselves are not a sufficient criteria for prognosis determination in cancer patients. Other intrinsic or tumor microenvironmental features should be considered in prognostic evaluation.