Integrating tumor intraepithelial CD8+ and stromal FOXP3+ T cell densities as an enhanced immune prognostic index in colorectal cancer

Abstract

High immune cell infiltration is generally associated with better survival in colorectal cancer (CRC). Recently, a prognostic score called CD8IE-FOXP3IS, which integrates the densities of tumor intraepithelial CD8+ and intrastromal FOXP3+ cells, was introduced using multiplex immunofluorescence. In this study, we developed a triple chromogenic immunohistochemistry assay to evaluate the CD8IE-FOXP3IS score and assessed its prognostic value in comparison to the CD3-CD8 T cell density score (based on the principles of the Immunoscore®) and conventional prognostic parameters. Multiplex immunohistochemistry combined with machine learning-assisted image analysis was used to quantify CD8IE and FOXP3IS densities in two independent cohorts, comprising 1,724 CRC patients. Multivariable Cox regression models were employed to evaluate the prognostic value of the CD8IE-FOXP3IS score. We found that a low CD8IE-FOXP3IS score was associated with higher disease stage, more frequent lymphovascular invasion, and mismatch repair (MMR) proficient status. In addition, a low CD8IE-FOXP3IS score was associated with higher CRC-specific mortality independent of the CD3-CD8 T cell density score and other tumor and patient characteristics (Cohort 1: HR for low vs. high CD8IE-FOXP3IS score 3.08 95% CI 1.54-6.15; ptrend=6.0E-4; Cohort 2: HR 4.30 95%CI 2.58-7.17; ptrend=3.2E-9). These findings indicate that triple chromogenic immunohistochemistry combined with digital pathology is an applicable method for quantifying tumor intraepithelial CD8+ and stromal FOXP3+ cell densities, allowing for the determination of the CD8IE-FOXP3IS score. The CD8IE-FOXP3IS score shows strong prognostic value, which appears superior to overall CD3+ and CD8+ T cell density measurement.