Expression of interferon receptors in pancreatic cancer: identification of a novel prognostic factor

Abstract

Objectives: Interferons (IFNs) are known to have antiproliferative and immunoregulatory activities that are modulated through specific cellular-surface ligands, known as IFN-alpha, -beta, and -gamma receptors. The presence of these receptors and their impact on survival in patients with pancreatic cancer has not been determined.

Methods: Slides were prepared from 46 patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used subsequently to determine the expression of IFN-alpha/beta receptor-chain 2 (IFNalpha/betaR) and IFN-gamma receptor-chain 1 (IFNgammaR). The correlation among IFN-receptor expression, characteristics of neoplasms, and overall patient survival were determined analytically.

Results: The IHC performed for pancreatic adenocarcinoma demonstrated a high IFNalpha/betaR expression in 4% (2/46) of patients, moderate expression in 20% (9/46), and faint or no expression in 76% (35/46). IHC confirmed a high expression of IFNgammaR in 52% (24/46) of patients, moderate expression in 35% (16/46), and faint or no expression in the remaining 13% (6/46). A clinicopathologic survey failed to demonstrate any significant correlation between IFNalpha/betaR and IFNgammaR expression with regard to size of neoplasm, vascular or perineural invasion, lymph node metastases, or stage of disease. Kaplan-Meier survival analyses demonstrated a survival advantage in those patients whose neoplasms expressed moderate to high IFNalpha/betaR expression, compared with those with faint or no IFNalpha/betaR expression (22 vs 13 months; P = .012, log-rank test). The expression of IFNgammaR, however, had no impact on patient survival (20 months vs 17 months; P = .66, log-rank test).

Conclusions: The IFNalpha/betaR is an independent prognostic factor in patients with pancreatic cancer.