title: [Tumor-infiltrating FoxP3+ Tregs are associated with CD34 expression and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the correlation between FoxP3+ regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs) in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and peritumoral tissues with CD34 expression and patient prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-five sets of patient-matched tumors and peritumoral tissues were obtained during curative resection for HCC. In situ immunohistochemistry was used to assess and comparatively analyze Treg presence and CD34 expression in each specimen set. The relation between quantified Tregs values and various clinicopathologic factors were evaluated by the Spearman Rank Correlation test. Univariate (Log Rank test) and multivariate (Cox Regression model) analyses were used to determine the potential prognostic value of each factor.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average number of intratumoral Tregs was significantly higher than that in corresponding peritumoral tissues (10.8 (range: 4.4 to 19.4) vs. 1.4 (0.6 to 3.2), respectively; P less than 0.01). The presence of intratumoral Tregs correlated with up-regulated CD34 expression (r = 0.279, P less than 0.05). Increased number of intratumoral Tregs were significantly associated with decreased rates of overall survival (OS, P less than 0.05) and disease-free survival (DFS, P less than 0.05), and was identified as an independent prognostic factor (OS, hazard ratio (HR) = 3.310, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.368-8.007, P less than 0.01; DFS, HR = 2.666, 95% CI: 1.321 to 6.394, P less than 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intratumoral infiltration by Tregs is a marker of poor prognosis in HCC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, the Third Central Hospital Affiliated to Tianjin Medical University, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Feng-mei
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yi-jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zheng-yan
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ying-tang
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Zhi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: DU
mesh_terms: D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors