title: Observation of changes in peripheral T-lymphocyte subsets by flow cytometry in patients with liver cancer treated with radioimmunotherapy.
abstract: An analysis of lymphocyte subsets was performed in 24 patients with surgically verified unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In all cases, the hepatic artery was cannulated and ligated and a single dose of 131I-Hepama-1 monoclonal antibody (MAb) was infused through a hepatic artery catheter. Blood samples were obtained before infusion and 1 month post-infusion. The results indicated that the CD3+ T-cells (pan T-cells) were normal, whereas the CD4+ T-cells (T-helper/inducer cells) decreased and the CD8+ T-cells (T-suppressor/cytotoxic cells) increased significantly in comparison with the control group. So the CD4+:CD8+ ratio declined markedly. One month post-radioimmunotherapy (RIT), the T-cell subsets did not change, but CD4+, CD8+ and the CD4+:CD8+ ratio differed significantly between patients with and without sequential resection. The changes in the T-cell subsets were closely related to tumour capsule status and the human anti-murine antibody (HAMA) response, but no relationship was found between the tumour and administration of a moderate dose of radioimmunoconjugate. Therefore, determination of changes in the T-lymphocyte subsets and the CD4+:CD8+ ratio could be used as clinical and prognostic indicators in patients who have received RIT. Furthermore, RIT did not affect the distribution of T-cell subsets in patients with HCC.
authors.affiliation: Liver Cancer Institute, Shanghai Medical University, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Z C
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Z Y
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Y Q
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: B H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: X J
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Cao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D051379:Mice; D011379:Prognosis; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000888:Antibodies, Anti-Idiotypic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes