Chung-Ying Tsai

Dr. Chung-Ying Tsai


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

6Years (2021-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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22 December 2021 in Biomedicines
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
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CTChung-Ying Tsai
Chung-Ying Tsai
HCHsiang Cheng Chi
Hsiang Cheng Chi
RWRen-Chin Wu
Ren-Chin Wu
CWCheng-Hao Weng
Cheng-Hao Weng
TTTzong-Shyuan Tai
Tzong-Shyuan Tai
HYHUANG-YU YANG
HUANG-YU YANG
In contrast to Western counties, the incidence of urothelial carcinoma (UC) remains mar-edly elevated in Taiwan. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a crucial role in limiting immune responses within the tumor microenvironment. To elucidate the relationship between immune checkpoints in the tumor immune microenvironment and UC progression, we utilize the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to analyze a microarray obtained from 308 patients with UC. We observed that the expression level of CD276 or TIM-3 was positively correlated with late-stage UC and poor prognosis. Patients with simultaneously high CD276 and TIM-3 expression in tumors have significantly reduced both univariate and multivariate survival, indicating that mRNA levels of these immune checkpoints could be independent prognostic biomarkers for UC overall survival and recurrence. Our cohort study showed rare CD8+ cytotoxic T-cells and Tregs infiltration during early-stage UC-known as cold tumors. Approximately 30% of late-stage tumors exhibited highly infiltrated cytotoxic T cells with high PD-1 and FOXP3 expression, which implied that cytotoxic T cells were inhibited in the advanced UC microenvironment. Collectively, our findings provide a better prognosis prediction by combined immune checkpoint biomarkers and a basis for early-stage UC standard treatment to convert cold tumors into hot tumors, followed by immune checkpoint therapy.