title: Upregulation of circulating PD-L1/PD-1 is associated with poor post-cryoablation prognosis in patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The programmed cell death-1 receptor/programmed cell death-1 ligand (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway plays a crucial role in tumor evasion from host immunity. This study was designed to evaluate the association between circulating PD-L1/PD-1 and prognosis after cryoablation in patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the present study, 141 HBV-related HCC patients were enrolled and of those 109 patients received cryoablation. Circulating PD-L1/PD-1 expression was tested by flow cytometry, and 23 patients were simultaneously evaluated for intratumoral PD-L1 expression by immunohistochemical staining. Circulating PD-1/PD-L1 expression was associated with severity of diseases in patients with HCC, and the circulating PD-L1 expression was closely correlated with intratumoral PD-L1 expression. Of the clinical parameters, PD-1/PD-L1 expression was associated with tumor size, blood vessel invasion and BCLC staging. Moreover, PD-1/PD-L1 expression dropped after cryoablation while being elevated at the time of tumor recurrence. Patients with higher expression of circulating PD-L1, as well as circulating PD-1, had a significantly shorter overall survival and tumor-free survival than those with lower expression. Multivariate analysis confirmed that circulating PD-L1 could serve as an independent predictor of overall survival and tumor-recurrence survival in HCC patients after cryoablation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Upregulation of circulating PD-L1/PD-1 is associated with poor post-cryoablation prognosis in patients with HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Center of Therapeutic Research for Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Beijing 302 Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Zhen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Min-Na
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Xiu-Juan
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Yin-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wen-Lin
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Jian-Hui
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Chun-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: Fu-Sheng
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ji-Yun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Yong-Ping
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D060890:B7-H1 Antigen / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D003452:Cryosurgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D060890:B7-H1 Antigen; C423236:CD274 protein, human; C105992:PDCD1 protein, human; D061026:Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor