[Expression of NK cells receptor NKG2D from peripheral blood in patients with primary hepatic carcinoma and its clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of NK cells receptor NKG2D from peripheral blood in patients with primary hepatic carcinoma and the relationship between NKG2D expression and cytotoxicity of NK cells.


METHODS
Flow cytometry was used to determine the number of NK cells and the expression of NK cells receptor NKG2D from peripheral blood in patients with primary hepatic carcinoma (20 cases), hepatitis B cirrhosis (23 cases), hepatitis B (20 cases) and healthy control (20 cases). The microplate reader was used to detect cytotoxicity of NK cells in all cases.


RESULTS
Among killing rate of NK cell for K562 cell, the expression rate of NKG2D in NK cells, the number of NKG2D(+)NK cells, NKG2D expression level of NK cells and the number of NK cells, the liver cancer group [(25 +/- 7)%, 6%, 0.7 x 10(7)/L, 15, (1.1 +/- 0.6) x 10(8)/L] decreased significantly as compared with the healthy group [(63 +/- 7)%, 36%, 8.3 x 10(7)/L, 116, (2.7 +/- 1.1) x 10(8)/L] and the hepatitis B group [(41 +/- 8)%, 16%, 2.8 x 10(7)/L, 49, (1.9 +/- 1.1) x 10(8)/L] (P < 0.05); and there was a slight decrease as compared with the hepatitis B cirrhosis group [(29 +/- 10)%, 7%, 0.6 x 10(7)/L, 29, (1.5 +/- 1.2) x 10(8)/L] (all P > 0.05 except NKG2D expression level of NK cells P < 0.05). The activity of NK cells showed a obvious positive correlation with the number of NK cell and the positive rate of NKG2D in NK cells, the number of NKG2D(+)NK cells and NKG2D expression level of NK cells (r = 0.657, 0.770, 0.927, 0.734, all P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The cytotoxicity and the NKG2D expression of NK cells decreased significantly from peripheral blood in patients with primary hepatic carcinoma. The activity of NK cells was closely related to the NKG2D expression level of NK cells. Enhancing the NKG2D expression level of NK cell may provide a new idea for adoptive immunotherapy of primary hepatic carcinoma.
Zeng
Xiao-Hui
XH
Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Guangzhou First People's Hospital of Guangzhou Medical College, Guangzhou 510180, China.
Sha
Wei-Hong
WH
Li
Yu-Yuan
YY
Nie
Yu-Qiang
YQ
Li
Qing-Ning
QN
Liang
Pei-Zhi
PZ
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K / Q000378:metabolism*
C527085:KLRK1 protein, human; D055655:NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K