High expression of CD39 in gastric cancer reduces patient outcome following radical resection

Ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 1 (ENTPD1), also known as cluster of differentiation (CD)39, is the rate-limiting enzyme in the generation of immunosuppressive adenosine and is important in tumor progression. The present study evaluated the expression of CD39(+) and CD39(+) forkhead box P3 (FoxP3)(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells in gastric cancer (GC), and determined their prognostic roles in patients with GC following radical resection. It was observed that CD39 was expressed at significantly higher rates in tumor tissues as compared with paired peritumoral tissues. Overexpression of tumor CD39 was correlated with overall survival (OS). Furthermore, CD39 expression in GC tissues exhibited a prognostic role in OS. The CD39(+) FoxP3(+)/FoxP3(+) ratio in tumor tissues was higher than that in paired peritumoral tissues, and CD39(+) FoxP3(+) Treg cells were a better prognostic indicator than FoxP3(+) Treg cells for OS. Collectively, our study indicates that overexpression of CD39 in GC is a predictor of poor outcome for GC patients following radical resection. CD39(+) FoxP3(+) Treg cells are a potential target for cancer immunotherapy.