The prognostic and therapeutic implications of distinct patterns of argininosuccinate synthase 1 (ASS1) and arginase-2 (ARG2) expression by cancer cells and tumor stroma in non-small-cell lung cancer

Background Arginine (Arg) is essential for cancer cell growth and also for the activation of T cells. Thus, therapies aiming to reduce Arg utilization by cancer may prove detrimental for the immune response. Methods We examined the expression of two major enzymes involved in arginine depletion and replenishment, namely arginase ARG2 and argininosuccinate synthase ASS1, respectively, in a series of 98 NSCLCs. Their association with immune...