Among the biomarkers of classic Hodgkin lymphoma are tissue and soluble markers involved in the programmed cell death protein 1/programmed death-ligand (PD-1/PD-L) axis. This study, published in the British Journal of Haematology, sought to determine whether or not plasma levels of proteins in the PD-1/PD-L axis reflect expressions by corresponding tissue.
The researchers collected paired tissue and plasma samples of patients with classic Hodgkin lymphoma, which were then analyzed for PD-1, PD-L1, and PD-L2 levels. Various correlations were observed between these levels and vascular endothelial growth factor and CD83. Additionally, PD-L1 was upregulated in the plasma of patients with classic Hodgkin lymphoma compared to controls. Lastly, expression of PD-L1 around the tumor correlated with high levels of soluble PD-L1.
The researchers concluded that PD-L1 is a promising soluble biomarker for classic Hodgkin lymphoma, but no direct correlation could be found between PD-L1 levels in the tissue and plasma. However, VEGF levels did correlate with PD-1 levels in both the plasma and the tissue. This finding suggests that VEGF may help regulate PD-1, but future studies are needed to confirm this hypothesis [1].
Source:
[1] Veldman, J., Alsada, Z. N. D., Berg, A., Plattel, W. J., Diepstra, A., & Visser, L. (2021). Soluble PD‐L1 is a promising disease biomarker but does not reflect tissue expression in classic Hodgkin lymphoma. British Journal of Haematology, 193(3), 506–514. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjh.17362
