[Association of NLRC3 with prognosis and tumor immunity in patients with stage III colorectal cancer]

To explore the association of nucleotide binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family caspase recruitment domain containing 3 (NLRC3) with prognosis and tumor immunity in patients with stage III colorectal cancer. Methods: Data of 122 patients with stage III colorectal cancer, who underwent radical resection from 2012 to 2013 in Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, were retrospectively collected. The expressions of NLRC3 and CD8+ were examined by immumohistochemical (IHC) staining. The preoperative clinical data were used to obtain neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and the stability of microsatellite was determined. The relationship between NLRC3 and clinicopathological factors was analyzed by χ2 test, and the independent prognostic factors for patients with stage III colorectal cancer were determined by COX regression model. Results: The expression of NLRC3 was significantly associated with CD8+ T cells infiltration (χ2=27.79, P<0.01), NLR (χ2=6.35, P<0.05), lymph node metastasis (LN) (χ2=10.12, P<0.01) and microsatellite stability (χ2=6.05, P<0.05). NLRC3 (OR=0.066, 95% CI 0.020 to 0.218), vascular emboli (OR=3.119, 95% CI 1.547 to 6.286) and NLR (OR=5.103, 95% CI 2.465 to 10.563) had an effect on overall survival (OS) for patients with stage III colorectal cancer (all P<0.05). In addition, NLRC3 (OR=0.144, 95% CI 0.055 to 0.377), vascular emboli (OR=3.589, 95% CI 1.859 to 6.932) and NLR (OR=2.939, 95% CI 1.509 to 5.723) also had an effect on disease-free survival (DFS) for patients with stage III colorectal cancer (all P<0.05). Conclusion: NLRC3, intravascular emboli and NLR are independent prognostic factors for patients with stage III colorectal cancer. NLRC3 might be a good prognostic factor for patients with stage III colorectal cancer due to its capacity of inhibiting systemic inflammation and promoting local anti-tumor immunity.