The Effect of Adjuvant Therapy on Expression of Immune Checkpoints in Ovarian Cancer Patients

Background & Objective: Ovarian cancer (OC) occurs when aberrant cells proliferate and form a tumor, which is known as ovarian cancer, mostly of unknown causes. It is crucial to investigate the effect of biotherapies like Bevacizumab (Avastin) and chemotherapy on the gene expression of PD1 and PDL1 in ovarian cancer patients to understand the molecular dynamics of therapeutic responses. The present study was conducted with aim to investigate the effect of adjuvant therapy on the expression of a gene on the exterior of T-cells “Programmed cell death 1” (PD1) and on tumor cells “Programmed cell death ligand 1” (PDL1) in OC patients.Materials & Methods: The study included 24 OC patients who were divided into three groups: Group 1 (G1) with 1-6 doses of Avastin, Group 2 (G2) with >6 doses of Avastin, and Group 3 (G3) receiving chemotherapy, along with 8 healthy controls. Gene expression of PD1 and PDL1 was analyzed using Real-Time PCR.Results: PD1 and PDL1 did not show significant differences between the study groups (P=0.62 and P=0.153, respectively). Additionally, there was a strong correlation between PD1 and PDL1 expression in all groups (P=0.0012, P=0.006, and P=0.010 for G1, G2, and G3, respectively). The gene PD1 was downregulated in patients compared to controls (P=0.637, P=0.730, P=0.697, and P=1.004 for G1, G2, G3, and control, respectively). Similarly, the gene PDL1 was downregulated in patients (P=0.340, P=0.209, P=0.477, and P=1.000 for G1, G2, G3, and control, respectively).Conclusion: The expression of PD1 and PDL1 and their correlation in ovarian cancer patients may indeed have a significant impact on evaluating therapeutic responses in these patients. Understanding the gene expression profiles of PD1 and PDL1 could provide valuable insights into the immune response and potential treatment outcomes for ovarian cancer.