Phenotypic analysis of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Tumor may induce local immunosuppression and make the tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) functionally inhibited and lose the antitumor effects. Therefore, we did the phenotypic analysis of TILs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues.


METHODS
Lymphocytes were isolated from paired HCC tissues (TILs) and the corresponding non-tumor liver tissues (non-tumor-liver infiltrating lymphocytes, NILs) of 28 patients and were subjected to flow cytometric analysis.


RESULTS
Compared with the non-tumor portion, HCC tissues had less intensity of lymphocyte infiltration. TILs had higher CD3+/CD56+ ratio than NILs. Around 70%-90% NILs or TILs expressed the antigen-experienced or memory phenotypes. Around 60%-70% CD4+ or CD8+ NILs and TILs expressed the activation markers CD69 and HLA-DR. However, we found that CD25 is under-expressed in both the CD8+ NILs and TILs. In addition, more percentage of CD4+ CD25+ T cells was detected in the TILs than in the NILs.


CONCLUSIONS
HCC tissues had less lymphocytes infiltration. Most of infiltrating lymphocytes from the HCC tissues and the corresponding non-tumor liver tissues were activated and expressed antigen-experienced phenotypes. However, the CD25 was underexpressed in the CD8+ TILs and the CD4+ CD25+ T cells were increased in the TILs. These factors might impair the antitumor immunity in HCCs.
Chen
Chien-Hung
CH
Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lee
Hsuan-Shu
HS
Huang
Guan-Tarn
GT
Yang
Pei-Ming
PM
Yu
Wei-Yuan
WY
Cheng
Kuang-Chun
KC
Lee
Po-Huang
PH
Jeng
Yung-Ming
YM
Chen
Ding-Shinn
DS
Sheu
Jin-Chuan
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010641:Phenotype