title: Increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and increased infiltration of regulatory T cells in tumors of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies on Cox-2 and Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) showed that Treg suppress local immune response in a Cox-2-dependent fashion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate Cox-2 expression, Foxp3+ Treg infiltration and CD4+ T cell frequency in HCC tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tumors and the corresponding nontumor hepatitis B virus-related liver tissues from 40 HCC patients with hepatitis B virus infection, plus 10 liver samples from patients with hemangioma as controls, were assessed for Cox-2 expression, Foxp3+ Treg and total CD4+ T cell numbers using immunohistochemistry. Serum TGF-beta1 was assessed by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reduced Cox-2 expression, increased Treg and increased CD4+ T cells were shown in tumor as compared with nontumor tissues. Moreover, of 40 tumor tissues, 23 that expressed Cox-2 showed increased Foxp3+ Treg and reduced CD4+ T cells compared with the remaining 17 that did not express Cox-2. Correlation analyses showed that within tumors Treg infiltration correlated positively with Cox-2 expression, and that Treg infiltration or Cox-2 expression correlated negatively with CD4+ T cells. Additionally, serum TGF-beta1 was higher in HCC patients than in controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Within tumors, Cox-2 expression, Treg infiltration and CD4+ T cell frequency were increased, and the Cox-2 expression correlated positively with Treg infiltration and negatively with CD4+ T cell frequency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Xiang Ya School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Ya Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yu Xiao
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhi Ming
authors.initials: ZM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Xin Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Le Du
authors.initials: le D
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huo
authors.forename: Jian Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Weisan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen