RBMX Protein Expression in T-Cell Lymphomas Predicts Chemotherapy Response and Prognosis.

Abstract

Simple SummaryPatients with T-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (T-NHL) are often chemotherapy refractory and subsequently have poor prognosis. So far, mechanisms leading to this primary chemotherapy refractoriness and factors identifying such cases are not well established. This study investigated the prognostic relevance of the RNA binding protein X (RBMX) in 53 T-NHL cases using conventional immunohistochemistry. As shown, low RBMX expression was associated with better response to anthracycline-containing first-line treatment. Furthermore, low RBMX expression predicted an improved overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). These results suggest that RBMX protein expression levels might be a contributing factor towards chemotherapy resistance and thus affect prognosis of patients with T-cell lymphomas.T-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas (T-NHL) are a heterogeneous group of lymphomas with a mature T-cell phenotype. While in some hematological diseases the prognosis improved over the last decades, T-NHL cases often relapse early or present with an initially refractory course. Recently, it has been shown that RNA binding proteins have a crucial role for malignant tumor initiation, progression and treatment response while contributing to chemotherapy resistance. Therefore, we investigated the protein expression of the RNA binding protein X (RBMX), which has been shown to be of great relevance in disease initiation and progression in hematological diseases in 53 T-NHL cases using conventional immunohistochemistry. Low RBMX expression was associated with better response to anthracycline-containing first-line treatment. Furthermore, low RBMX expression predicted an improved overall survival and progression-free survival in univariate analysis. Multivariable Cox regression revealed RBMX as an independent prognostic marker for overall survival (p = 0.007; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.204; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.064–0.646) and progression-free survival (p = 0.006; HR = 0.235; 95% CI: 0.083–0.666). The study identifies low RBMX expression to predict better chemotherapy response, overall survival and progression-free survival in patients with T-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas. These results suggest that RBMX protein expression levels might be a contributing factor towards chemotherapy resistance and thus affect prognosis. Hence, RBMX may be a potential therapeutic target and prognostic marker in T-cell lymphomas.