title: The expression levels of transcription factors T-bet, GATA-3, RORγt and FOXP3 in peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) of patients with liver cancer and their significance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of transcriptional factors (TFs) T-bet, GATA-3, RORγt and FOXP in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to evaluate the correlation between the imbalances of Th1/Th2, Th17/Treg at the expression levels and liver cancer Methods: The peripheral venous blood was drawn from 20 HCC-patients (HCC-group) and 20 health participants (C-group). The expression levels of Th1, Th2 and Th17 and the major Treg-specific TFs T-bet, GATA-3, RORγt and FOXP3 in the PBMC were measured with quantitative real-time PCR(RT-qPCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA level of Th1-specific TF T-bet in HCC-group was significantly lower than that of C-group (52.34±34.07 VS 104.01±56.00, P<0.01); the mRNA level of Th2-specifc TF, GATA-3, in HCC group was significantly higher than that in C-group (1.38±1.15 VS 0.58±0.65, P<0.05) and T-bet mRNA/GATA-3 mRNA ratio was significantly lower in HCC-group than in C-group (86.01±116.71 VS 461.88±708.81, P<0.05). The mRNA level of Th17-specific TF RORγt in HCC-group was significantly higher than that of C-group (72.32±32.82 VS 33.07±22.86, P<0.01). Treg-specific TF FOXP3 mRNA level was significant higher in HCC-group than in C-group (3.17±1.59 VS 1.39±1.13, P<0.01) CONCLUSION: T-bet mRNA level was reduced whereas GATA-3 mRNA level was increased and T-bet/GATA-3 ratio was significantly reduced in PBMC, indicating that Th1/Th2 ratio was of imbalance at TF levels in PBMC of HCC, displaying Th2 thrift phenomena. The mRNA levels of RORγt and FOXP3 in PBMC of HCC were significantly increased, indicating the existence of a predominant phenomenon of Th17- and Treg-expressing PBMC in HCC.
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of HepatobiliaryLaparoscope-Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China;
authors.forename: Ze-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: 2. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The Central People Hospital of Huizhou City, Huizhou, Guangdong, China 516001;
authors.forename: Li-Xuan
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of HepatobiliaryLaparoscope-Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China;
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of HepatobiliaryLaparoscope-Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China;
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of HepatobiliaryLaparoscope-Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China;
authors.forename: Pei-Kai
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: 1. Department of HepatobiliaryLaparoscope-Surgery, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 518036, China;
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Min
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
authors.forename: Ru-Fu
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
authors.forename: Ya-Jing
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
authors.forename: Hua
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.affiliation: 3. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510120, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Jia
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Ou
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / Q000235:genetics*; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000473:pathology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000473:pathology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000473:pathology; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
chemical_list: C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; C494749:GATA3 protein, human; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; C539900:RORC protein, human; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).; RORγt; Th1; Th17; Th2; Treg