title: Low counts of γδ T cells in peritumoral liver tissue are related to more frequent recurrence in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  TCR- gamma-delta + T cells (γδ T cells) are non-conventional T lymphocytes that can recognize and eradicate tumor cells. Our previous studies showed that infiltration and function of γδT cells were substantially attenuated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, their prognostic value was not clarified.
  
  
  METHODS
  The association between γδ T cells and the clinical outcomes was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in a HCC patient cohort (n = 342).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemistry showed decreased infiltration of γδ T cells in tumoral tissues compared with paired peritumoral tissues. The counts of γδ T cells in peritumoral tissues were negatively correlated with tumor size (P = 0.005). Survival analysis showed that the levels of peritumoral γδ T cells were related to both time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival (OS) (P = 0.010 and P = 0.036, respectively) in univariate analysis, and related to TTR in multivariate analysis (P = 0.014, H.R. [95% CI] = 0.682 [0.502-0.927]). Furthermore, the level of peritumoral γδ T cells showed independent prognostic value for TTR in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage A patients (P = 0.038, H.R. [95% CI] = 0.727 [0.537-0.984]). However, tumoral γδ T cells did not show independent prognostic value for either TTR or OS in HCC patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low counts of γδ T cells in peritumoral liver tissue are related to a higher incidence of recurrence in HCC and can predict postoperative recurrence, especially in those with early-stage HCC.
authors.affiliation: Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Key Laboratory for Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, The Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai, China E-mail : qiu.shuangjian@zs-hospital.sh.cn.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.forename: Jia-Xing
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Hong-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Xiao-Chun
authors.initials: XC
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yun-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Shuang-Jian
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta / Q000378:metabolism*; D015996:Survival Rate; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016692:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell, gamma-delta