title: Changes of CD4(+) CD25 (+) regulatory T cells in peripheral blood in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma before and after TACE.
abstract: This study investigated the changes of CD4(+) CD25(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) in peripheral blood of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma before and after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). The proportion of CD4(+) CD25(+) Tregs among CD4(+) T lymphocytes in peripheral blood of 33 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma was determined by flow cytometry before, 1 week and 1 month after TACE. And 25 healthy volunteers served as control. One month after TACE, the patients were divided into two groups: 22 in group A, who were in stable condition or getting better; and 10 in group B, who were deteriorating. One patient died and was excluded. The results showed that the percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs among CD4(+) T lymphocytes did not significantly change in the 33 patients 1 week after TACE as compared with that before TACE, however, the difference was significant (P<0.01) between the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and the healthy subjects. The percentage of CD4(+) CD25(+) Tregs among CD4(+) T lymphocytes in group A 1 month after TACE was decreased significantly in comparison with that before and 1 week after TACE (P<0.01), whereas, that in group B was increased significantly 1 month after TACE (P<0.01). It was concluded that patients with hepatocellular carcinoma had a higher proportion of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs in peripheral blood. TACE did not significantly affect the level of CD4(+) CD25(+) Tregs within short time (such as 1 week). The proportion of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tregs in peripheral blood 1 month after TACE was related to the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China. herrxiong@googlemail.com
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Gansheng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Shihua
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Huimin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Lingyun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Chuansheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Guofeng
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents