title: Phenotypic analysis of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: 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.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors: Chien-Hung
authors: CH
authors: Chen
authors: Hsuan-Shu
authors: HS
authors: Lee
authors: Guan-Tarn
authors: GT
authors: Huang
authors: Pei-Ming
authors: PM
authors: Yang
authors: Wei-Yuan
authors: WY
authors: Yu
authors: Kuang-Chun
authors: KC
authors: Cheng
authors: Po-Huang
authors: PH
authors: Lee
authors: Yung-Ming
authors: YM
authors: Jeng
authors: Ding-Shinn
authors: DS
authors: Chen
authors: Jin-Chuan
authors: JC
authors: Sheu
mesh_terms: 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