Effect of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization on cellular immune function and regulatory T cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate changes in cellular immune function and regulatory T cells (Tregs) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prior to and following transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and their clinical significance. The proportion of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and Tregs in the peripheral blood between healthy volunteers and patients with HCC were detected by flow cytometry prior to (1 day) and one month following TACE. The level of interleukin (IL)‑35 in the peripheral blood was examined by ELISA. In the peripheral blood of patients with HCC, the proportion of CD4+ T cells in the total T lymphocytes was significantly lower compared with that of healthy volunteers (26.71 ± 5.57, vs. 34.74 ± 2.86%; P<0.05) and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T lymphocytes in patients with HCC was lower compared with that of healthy adults prior to TACE (1.03 ± 0.14, vs. 1.68 ± 0.16, P<0.05). The ratio markedly increased following TACE treatment (30.52 ± 4.19, vs. 1.29 ± 0.14). The percentage of CD4+CD25+ Treg cells in the total CD4+ T cells isolated from the patients with HCC was markedly higher compared with that of healthy adults prior to TACE (11.12 ± 3.58%, vs. 4.98 ± 1.45%, P<0.05) and it was significantly decreased following TACE (7.58±2.65%; P<0.05). No statistically significant difference in the expression of IL‑35 was detected prior to or following TACE in patients with HCC and healthy adults (369.66 ± 95.53, 352.28 ± 107.50 and 316.24 ± 89.21 pg/ml, respectively). The level of AFP, an oncofetal protein of ~72 kDa, which is produced by normal gastrointestinal cells, yolk sac cells and fetal hepatocytes immediately following birth, was increased in patients with HCC (1674 ± 1649 ng/ml) and was significantly decreased following TACE (827 ± 981 ng/ml). Treg cells changed in positive correlation with the change of AFP, with a correlation coefficient of 0.401. TACE markedly improved the immune function of patients with HCC.

Efficacy, Safety, and Potential Biomarkers of Sunitinib and Transarterial Chemoembolization (TACE) Combination in Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)

“…29 This capacity for immune potentiation was recently demonstrated in an Asian study, 30 in which TACE significantly decreased the percentage of circulating CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells (Treg) in HCC patients. These Treg cells, in turn, are major negative regulators of tumor immunity suppressing the production of immune cytokines, such as IFN-g, from tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells.…”

Association of TIM-3 with BCLC Stage, Serum PD-L1 Detection, and Response to Transarterial Chemoembolization in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma

“…It has been shown that the necrosis and ischemia caused by TACE initially induce the production of acute phase cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-22, while in later phases immunosuppressive cytokines such as IL-10 are increased [29]. Moreover, a decrease of T regulatory (T reg) cells has been observed following TACE, indicating the restoration of immune function after treatment [30]. In our study, TACE induced a significant raise of sTIM-3 levels at the first week post-treatment.…”

Effects of modified FOLFOX-6 chemotherapy on cellular immune function in patients with gastric cancer

“…Therefore, we hypothesized that chemotherapy may result in immunomodulation in patients, suppressing the inhibitory immune cell function. Cellular immunity serves a key role in the antitumor immune response (23). T cells are critical in the immune regulation and surveillance involved in cellular immunity, and are divided into two major subsets: CD4 + and CD8 + .…”