[Functional assessment of infiltrating immunocytes in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma after percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the function local immune cells in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT).


METHODS
Thirty-eight patients with histologically proved primary HCC underwent ultrasound guided PMCT. Specimens were taken from the lesion site before and 17 days after PMCT respectively using 18-guage core needle through US-guide biopsy, embedded in paraffin, and stained by immunohistochemistry. The panel of monoclonal antibodies of CD3, CD56, CD68 and Fas-L were used to detect the CD3+, CD56+, CD68+ cells and T lymphocyte Fas-ligand. The positive cells were detected under light microscopy. Their diameter and area and the Fas-L expression rate of T lymphocytes and changes of secondary lysosomes in macrophages were measured by computer.


RESULTS
Before PMCT, only a few infiltrating immunocytes were seen in the tumor specimens; the diameter of most CD3+ and CD56+ cells was less than 10 microns and the diameter of CD68+ cells was less than 18 microns. The amount and volume of CD3+, CD56+, and CD68+ cells significantly increased after PMCT (t = 3.48, P = 0.025 for CD3+ cells, t = -4.76, P = 0.000 for CD56+ cells, and t = -2.46, P = 0.028 for CD68+ cells). The percentage of CD3+ and CD56+ cells with the largest diameter > 10 microns increased from 10.4% and 20.1% respectively before PMCT to 24.9% and 30.2% respectively after PMCT. The percentage of CD68+ cells with the largest diameter > 18 microns increased from 10.2% before PMCT to 33.4% after PMCT. The Fas-l expression rate of T lymphocytes increased from 7.2% to 20.1% (t = -19.12, P = 0.000). The secondary lysosomes and cellular debris within microphages and the cellular organs in T lymphocytes significantly increased.


CONCLUSIONS
The function of intratumaral infiltrating immunocytes is significantly enhanced after PMCT.
Zhang
J
J
Department of Ultrasound, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China.
Dong
B
B
Liang
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008872:Microwaves / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*