[The presence and the significance of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in livers of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To study the presence and clinical significance of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in liver tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.


METHODS
CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and CD8+ cells and their relative proportions in liver tissues and peripheral blood of HCC patients and of healthy volunteers were analyzed using flow cytometry. The distributions of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in liver tissues were also analyzed.


RESULTS
Around the tumor tissues (peri-tumor), the percentage of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells was 10.8% +/- 2.3%, which was obviously higher than in the tissues away from the cancer tissues (P < 0.05). The percentage of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in the peripheral blood of HCC patients was 9.4% +/- 1.0%, which was obviously lower than that of the healthy volunteers (12.9% +/- 1.3%) (P < 0.01). With increasing CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in the peri-tumor tissue, there was a trend of CD8+ cells decreasing.


CONCLUSIONS
CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells played an anti-tumor immunity role in hepatocellular carcinoma by restraining the CD8+ cells.
Yang
Xiu-hua
XH
Department of General Surgery, First Clinical Medical School, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150001, China. yxiuhua@hotmail.com
Liu
Bing-rong
BR
Jiang
Hong-chi
HC
D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000276:immunology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit