title: Tumor-infiltrating FoxP3+ Tregs and CD8+ T cells affect the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes are considered to represent a host immune response against tumor. This study was carried out to analyze the effect of both FoxP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and CD8+ T lymphocytes in prognostic value of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expressions of FoxP3, CD4, CD8 and CD34 in patient-matched tumors and peritumoral tissues were assessed by immunohistochemistry for 54 HCC patients. The prognostic effect of groups with high and low numbers was evaluated by the Kaplan-Meier and Cox model analysis using median values as a cutoff.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the corresponding peritumoral tissue, the density of intratumoral Tregs was significantly higher, while the density of intratumoral CD8+ T cells was lower (p < 0.001 and p = 0.013, respectively). In addition, tumor-infiltrating Tregs were positively correlated with microvessel density in tumors (r = 0.334, p = 0.020). The high intratumoral Tregs density group showed a significantly lower survival rate (overall survival, p = 0.018; disease-free survival, p = 0.029). Multivariate Cox analysis revealed that intratumoral Tregs density was an independent prognostic factor for HCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tumor-infiltrating Tregs may promote HCC progression by fostering angiogenesis and decreasing CD8+ T cells. High tumor-infiltrating Tregs are thought to be an unfavorable prognostic indicator for HCC.
authors.affiliation: The Third Central Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 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: D000328:Adult; D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000276:immunology*; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D055806:Microvessels / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors