title: Tumor cyclooxygenase-2 gene suppresses local immune responses in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In several neoplastic diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) immunosuppression is correlated with disease stage, progression and outcome. Moreover, recent studies have demonstrated that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enhances tumor growth in HCCs. The present study analyzed the correlation between local immune responses and COX-2 gene expression levels in patients with primary HCCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fresh tissues were obtained from 59 patients who underwent resection of an HCC. The COX-2 gene expression levels were quantified by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and compared with the CD8+ T cell densities detected by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  COX-2 gene expression was detected in 35 of the 59 tumors. The CD8+ T cell density in COX-2-expressing tumors (6.1 cells/high-power field (HPF), x200 magnification) was suppressed compared with that in non-COX-2-expressing tumors (13.6 cells/HPF, P = 0.009). Tumor COX-2 gene expression was associated with a poorer disease-free survival rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Elevation of the tumor COX-2 level is correlated with the suppression of local immune responses in HCCs, suggesting that COX-2 plays a role in early tumor recurrence in the residual liver in patients after HCC resection.
authors.affiliation: Division of Surgical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, 36-1 Nishi-cho, Yonago, Japan.
authors.forename: Akemi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.forename: Masahide
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeguchi
authors.forename: Sachico
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: Youji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hukumoto
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ataka
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanida
authors.forename: Kanenori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Endo
authors.forename: Kuniyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katano
authors.forename: Yasuaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hirooka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2