Systematic analysis of tumor-infiltrating immune cells in human endometrial cancer: a retrospective study

ObjectiveThe prognostic effect of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TIICs) on endometrial cancer (EMC) has not been extensively investigated. In the present study, we systematically analyzed the role of TIICs in EMC development. MethodsPatient data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We comprehensively analyzed TIIC population in EMC tissue and their role in EMC progression and prognosis by using a deconvolution algorithm (CIBERSORT) and clinically annotated expression profiles. ResultsThe proportions of gamma delta T cells, resting NK cells, M1 macrophages, and resting mast cells were significantly different in normal endometrium and EMC tissue. The proportion of CD8+ T cells, resting memory CD4 T cells, and M0 macrophages was reversed middle correlated. The proportion of resting dendritic cells, resting memory CD4 T cells, and T regulatory cells (Tregs) decreased in accordance with the cancer cell differentiation grade (G); the lower proportion of activated dendritic cells and gamma delta T cells and higher proportion of Tregs predicted longer EMC survival time and vice versa. The low proportion of gamma delta T cells indicated better response to therapy. ConclusionCollectively, our data suggested subtle differences in the cellular composition of TIICs in EMC, and these differences were likely to be important determinants of both prognosis and therapy of EMC.