[Characteristics of peripheral NK cells in hepatocellular carcinoma patients].
OBJECTIVE
Functional defects in NK cells have been proposed to be responsible for the impairment of anti-tumor immune responses. However, it remained unclear whether the function of NK cells were impaired in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. To address this issue, we analyzed the frequency and function of peripheral NK cell subsets in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.


METHODS
35 HCC patients and 24 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in the study. Peripheral NK frequency was analyzed using flow cytometry. In addition, the capacity of NK cells to produce IFN gamma and to lyse K562 cells was evaluated.


RESULTS
In contrast with the healthy controls, the frequency of peripheral NK cells in hepatocellular carcinoma patients was decreased (12.19%+/-10.85% vs 24.01%+/-8.78%, u = 4.01, probability value less than 0.01), while the frequency of CD56(bright)CD16(neg) NK cells was increased (0.62%+/-0.39% vs 0.48%+/-0.28%, u = 1.96, probability value less than 0.05), and the frequency of CD56(dim)CD16(pos) NK cells was significantly decreased (11.59%+/-7.49% vs 22.66%+/-8.84%, u = 3.92, probability value less than 0.01). In addition, peripheral NK cells from HCC patients exhibited decreased capacity to produce IFN gamma (effective cells 13.31%) and to lyse K562 cells (mixed ratio 30:1, 10:1, 1:1, effective cells 16.72%+/-7.33% vs 26.29%+/-12.36%, u = 2.52, P less than 0.05, 8.01%+/-4.40% vs 13.09%+/-5.03%, u = 3.32, probability value less than 0.05, 3.51%+/-2.82% vs 3.42%+/-1.64%, u = 1.56, probability value more than 0.05, respectively) as compared with healthy subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Anti-tumor activity of NK cells in HCC patients was impaired.
Zhou
Lin
L
Liver Cancer Therapy and Research Center, People's Liberation Army 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China.
Cai
Lun
L
Zhang
Zheng
Z
Yang
Yong-ping
YP
Wang
Fu-sheng
FS
D000328:Adult; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000276:immunology; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003601:Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D020014:K562 Cells; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017452:Receptors, IgG / Q000276:immunology
D019002:CD56 Antigen; D017452:Receptors, IgG; D007371:Interferon-gamma