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. 2024 Mar 4;24(1):294.
doi: 10.1186/s12885-024-12048-5.

A preliminary study of IgG4 expression and its prognostic significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Hironobu Fukuda  1 , Takeshi Uehara  2 , Tomoyuki Nakajima  3 , Mai Iwaya  3 , Shiho Asaka  3   4 , Hiroshi Kurita  1
Affiliations

A preliminary study of IgG4 expression and its prognostic significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma

Hironobu Fukuda et al. BMC Cancer. .

Abstract

Background: IgG4, which plays a pivotal role in the progression of phenotypically diverse tumors, serves as a prognostic marker because of its influence on cancer immunity. Nevertheless, the functions of IgG4 in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) remained to be identified.

Methods: To evaluate the significance of IgG4 expression in TSCC, we performed immunohistochemical analysis of patients with TSCC (n = 50) to evaluate the correlation of IgG4 expression with patients' clinicopathological features and prognoses.

Results: Higher IgG4 expression detected in TSCC tissues was associated with the less advanced mode of invasion (Yamamoto-Kohama [YK] 1-3) (P = 0.031) and with well-differentiated TSCC (P = 0.077). Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed that the higher IgG4 expression group exhibited better prognosis indicated by overall survival (OS) (P = 0.04) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (P = 0.016). Univariate analysis of OS indicated that IgG4 expression was associated with longer OS (P = 0.061), and multivariate analysis of RFS revealed that IgG4 expression served as an independent prognostic factor for longer RFS (P = 0.005).

Conclusion: These results indicate that relatively higher IgG4 levels serve as a favorable prognostic factor for TSCC.

Keywords: Favorable prognostic factor; IgG4; Tongue squamous cell carcinoma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Representative images of IgG4 expression. Representative features of hematoxylin-eosin (HE)-stained tissues (A) and immunochemical analysis of low IgG4 expression (B). Representative features of HE-stained tissues (C) and immunochemical analysis of high IgG4 expression (D). Representative features of HE-stained tissues (E) and immunochemical analysis of high Foxp3 expression (F). Bar indicates 100 μm (magnified panel = 25 μm)
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Immunofluorescence detection of plasma cells. IgG4-positive plasma cells were diffusely distributed in the tumor stroma and near the tumor. Immunofluorescence was used to detect IgG4 (red). Nuclei were visualized using DAPI. Bar indicates 200 μm
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Kaplan–Meier analysis of the prognostic value of IgG4 expression associated with OS. High IgG4 expression levels were associated with favorable OS (log-rank test P = 0.04)
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Kaplan–Meier analysis of the prognostic value of RFS associated with IgG4 expression. A high IgG4 expression level was associated with favorable RFS (log-rank test P = 0.016)
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
ROC curve analysis of IgG4 expression associated with OS (A) and RFS (B). The AUCs of OS and RFS showed fair discriminatory accuracy
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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