Variation in Immune and Inflammatory Blood Markers in Advanced Melanoma Patients Treated with PD-1 Inhibitors: A Preliminary Exploratory Study
<b>Background:</b> Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) used for the treatment of advanced melanoma have yielded significant results, with long-term responses and improved survival rates, but not for all treated patients. Therefore, predictive biomarkers of response to ICI therapy have be...
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2025-06-01
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| author | Lucica Madalina Bolovan Marieta Elena Panait Antonela Busca Adina Elena Stanciu Daniela Chiriac Corina Elena Mihalcea Camelia Mia Hotnog Mihai Teodor Georgescu Silviu Cristian Voinea Virgiliu Mihail Prunoiu Lorelei Irina Brasoveanu Laurentia Nicoleta Gales |
| author_facet | Lucica Madalina Bolovan Marieta Elena Panait Antonela Busca Adina Elena Stanciu Daniela Chiriac Corina Elena Mihalcea Camelia Mia Hotnog Mihai Teodor Georgescu Silviu Cristian Voinea Virgiliu Mihail Prunoiu Lorelei Irina Brasoveanu Laurentia Nicoleta Gales |
| author_sort | Lucica Madalina Bolovan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background:</b> Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) used for the treatment of advanced melanoma have yielded significant results, with long-term responses and improved survival rates, but not for all treated patients. Therefore, predictive biomarkers of response to ICI therapy have been intensively explored. Our study aimed to evaluate the dynamics of peripheral blood lymphocyte variation and their correlation with a set of related inflammatory factors in Nivolumab-treated advanced melanoma patients. <b>Methods:</b> The immunophenotypic assessment of peripheral blood immune cell subpopulations (CD3<sup>+</sup>, CD4<sup>+</sup>, and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells; CD19<sup>+</sup> B cells; CD16<sup>+</sup>CD56<sup>+</sup> NK cells; and CD4<sup>+</sup>/CD8<sup>+</sup> ratio) was performed by the flow cytometry technique, concomitantly with a complete blood count; levels of S100, IL-6, and TNF-α proteins were quantified in serum by immunoassays, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) by a chemiluminescence assay. <b>Results:</b> Approximately 85% and 79% of patients recorded a trend of increasing levels of CD8<sup>+</sup> lymphocytes and NK cells, respectively, during therapy. The percentage of NK cells negatively correlated with CD3<sup>+</sup>, CD4<sup>+</sup>, and CD19<sup>+</sup> cells; the last three cell populations also established negative correlations with the inflammatory neutrophile/lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Furthermore, CD19<sup>+</sup> cells were negatively correlated with the systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). The evaluation of progression biomarkers showed that LDH levels directly correlated with IL-6 and S100 proteins, but no correlation was found with TNFα; IL-6 levels negatively correlated with percentages of CD3<sup>+</sup>, CD4<sup>+</sup>, and CD8<sup>+</sup> lymphocytes. <b>Conclusions:</b> Variation in lymphocyte subpopulations during immunotherapy of advanced melanoma patients, associated with other cellular and/or molecular inflammatory markers, might provide insights about immune system response, but additional prospective studies are needed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bfc5ee3cb8f84af8bc7c7017502552c6 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2227-9059 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Biomedicines |
| spelling | doaj-art-bfc5ee3cb8f84af8bc7c7017502552c62025-08-20T02:24:35ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592025-06-01136137810.3390/biomedicines13061378Variation in Immune and Inflammatory Blood Markers in Advanced Melanoma Patients Treated with PD-1 Inhibitors: A Preliminary Exploratory StudyLucica Madalina Bolovan0Marieta Elena Panait1Antonela Busca2Adina Elena Stanciu3Daniela Chiriac4Corina Elena Mihalcea5Camelia Mia Hotnog6Mihai Teodor Georgescu7Silviu Cristian Voinea8Virgiliu Mihail Prunoiu9Lorelei Irina Brasoveanu10Laurentia Nicoleta Gales11Carcinogenesis and Molecular Biology Department, Institute of Oncology “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Trestioreanu”, 022328 Bucharest, RomaniaCancer Biology Department, Institute of Oncology “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Trestioreanu”, 022328 Bucharest, RomaniaCancer Biology Department, Institute of Oncology “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Trestioreanu”, 022328 Bucharest, RomaniaCarcinogenesis and Molecular Biology Department, Institute of Oncology “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Trestioreanu”, 022328 Bucharest, RomaniaCarcinogenesis and Molecular Biology Department, Institute of Oncology “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Trestioreanu”, 022328 Bucharest, RomaniaCarcinogenesis and Molecular Biology Department, Institute of Oncology “Prof. Dr. Alexandru Trestioreanu”, 022328 Bucharest, RomaniaCenter of Immunology, “Stefan S. Nicolau” Institute of Virology, Romanian Academy, 030304 Bucharest, RomaniaOncology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila” Bucharest, 050474 Bucharest, RomaniaOncological Surgery Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila” Bucharest, 050474 Bucharest, RomaniaOncological Surgery Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila” Bucharest, 050474 Bucharest, RomaniaCenter of Immunology, “Stefan S. Nicolau” Institute of Virology, Romanian Academy, 030304 Bucharest, RomaniaOncology Department, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila” Bucharest, 050474 Bucharest, Romania<b>Background:</b> Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) used for the treatment of advanced melanoma have yielded significant results, with long-term responses and improved survival rates, but not for all treated patients. Therefore, predictive biomarkers of response to ICI therapy have been intensively explored. Our study aimed to evaluate the dynamics of peripheral blood lymphocyte variation and their correlation with a set of related inflammatory factors in Nivolumab-treated advanced melanoma patients. <b>Methods:</b> The immunophenotypic assessment of peripheral blood immune cell subpopulations (CD3<sup>+</sup>, CD4<sup>+</sup>, and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells; CD19<sup>+</sup> B cells; CD16<sup>+</sup>CD56<sup>+</sup> NK cells; and CD4<sup>+</sup>/CD8<sup>+</sup> ratio) was performed by the flow cytometry technique, concomitantly with a complete blood count; levels of S100, IL-6, and TNF-α proteins were quantified in serum by immunoassays, and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) by a chemiluminescence assay. <b>Results:</b> Approximately 85% and 79% of patients recorded a trend of increasing levels of CD8<sup>+</sup> lymphocytes and NK cells, respectively, during therapy. The percentage of NK cells negatively correlated with CD3<sup>+</sup>, CD4<sup>+</sup>, and CD19<sup>+</sup> cells; the last three cell populations also established negative correlations with the inflammatory neutrophile/lymphocyte ratio (NLR). Furthermore, CD19<sup>+</sup> cells were negatively correlated with the systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII). The evaluation of progression biomarkers showed that LDH levels directly correlated with IL-6 and S100 proteins, but no correlation was found with TNFα; IL-6 levels negatively correlated with percentages of CD3<sup>+</sup>, CD4<sup>+</sup>, and CD8<sup>+</sup> lymphocytes. <b>Conclusions:</b> Variation in lymphocyte subpopulations during immunotherapy of advanced melanoma patients, associated with other cellular and/or molecular inflammatory markers, might provide insights about immune system response, but additional prospective studies are needed.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/6/1378advanced melanomaPD-1 inhibitorsperipheral blood immune cellsinflammatory markerspredictive melanoma biomarkerscytokines |
| spellingShingle | Lucica Madalina Bolovan Marieta Elena Panait Antonela Busca Adina Elena Stanciu Daniela Chiriac Corina Elena Mihalcea Camelia Mia Hotnog Mihai Teodor Georgescu Silviu Cristian Voinea Virgiliu Mihail Prunoiu Lorelei Irina Brasoveanu Laurentia Nicoleta Gales Variation in Immune and Inflammatory Blood Markers in Advanced Melanoma Patients Treated with PD-1 Inhibitors: A Preliminary Exploratory Study Biomedicines advanced melanoma PD-1 inhibitors peripheral blood immune cells inflammatory markers predictive melanoma biomarkers cytokines |
| title | Variation in Immune and Inflammatory Blood Markers in Advanced Melanoma Patients Treated with PD-1 Inhibitors: A Preliminary Exploratory Study |
| title_full | Variation in Immune and Inflammatory Blood Markers in Advanced Melanoma Patients Treated with PD-1 Inhibitors: A Preliminary Exploratory Study |
| title_fullStr | Variation in Immune and Inflammatory Blood Markers in Advanced Melanoma Patients Treated with PD-1 Inhibitors: A Preliminary Exploratory Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variation in Immune and Inflammatory Blood Markers in Advanced Melanoma Patients Treated with PD-1 Inhibitors: A Preliminary Exploratory Study |
| title_short | Variation in Immune and Inflammatory Blood Markers in Advanced Melanoma Patients Treated with PD-1 Inhibitors: A Preliminary Exploratory Study |
| title_sort | variation in immune and inflammatory blood markers in advanced melanoma patients treated with pd 1 inhibitors a preliminary exploratory study |
| topic | advanced melanoma PD-1 inhibitors peripheral blood immune cells inflammatory markers predictive melanoma biomarkers cytokines |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/6/1378 |
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