HBV感染的肝癌患者外周血中调节性T细胞的水平分析

Analysis of CD4^+CD25^+CD127^(low) Regulatory T Cells in Peripheral Blood of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with HBV Infection

目的检测乙肝病毒(HBV)感染的肝癌患者外周血中CD4+CD25+CD127low调节性T细胞(Tregs)的水平,分析其与HBV感染的相关性。方法采集41例感染HBV的肝癌患者(HBV+组)、34例未感染HBV的肝癌患者(HBV-组)及29例正常健康受试者(对照组)的外周抗凝血,利用流式细胞术检测各组受试者外周血中CD4+CD25+CD127lowTregs水平,通过荧光定量聚合酶链反应检测感染HBV的肝癌患者血清中HBV DNA载量,分析Tregs水平与HBV DNA载量的相关性。结果 HBV+组外周血中CD4+CD25+CD127lowTregs占CD4+T细胞的比率显著高于HBV-组和对照组[(8.24±2.20)%vs(7.06±2.46)%vs(6.51±1.99)%,P<0.05],HBV-组高于对照组;CD4+CD25+CD127lowTregs水平与HBV DNA载量(取对数转换)呈正相关(r=0.350,P<0.05)。结论肝癌患者外周血中Tregs的水平异常增高,且与HBVDNA复制密切相关,这可能是肝癌细胞免疫逃逸的重要原因。

Objective To investigate the level of CD4＋CD25＋CD127low regulatory T cells （Tregs） in the peripheral blood of hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） patients with HBV infection and to explore the relationship between these cells and HBV infection. Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from 41 HCC patients infected with HBV, 34 HCC patients without HBV infection and 29 healthy persons. These mononuclear cells were labeled with the monoclonal anti-bodies of CD4, CD25 and CD127, and then Tregs level was determined by flow cytometry （FCM）. Moreover, the load of HBV DNA in the blood serum of HCC patients with HBV infection was detected by fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reac-tion （FQ-PCR）. Results The percentage of CD4＋CD25＋CD127low Tregs in CD4＋T cells in the HCC patients with HBV infec-tion was higher than that in the HCC patients without HBV infection [（8.24±2.20）%vs （7.06±2.46）%, P〈0.05] and that in the healthy persons [（8.24 ± 2.20）% vs （6.51 ± 1.99）%, P 〈 0.01]. Furthermore, the percentage of CD4＋CD25＋CD127low Tregs in CD4＋T cells in the HCC patients without HBV infection was higher than that in the healthy persons [（7.06±2.46）%vs （6.51± 1.99）%, P〈0.05]. In addition, the level of CD4＋CD25＋CD127low Tregs in the HCC patients with HBV infection was gradually increased following the increase of HBV DNA load and there was a positive correlation between the level of CD 4＋CD25＋CD127low Tregs and the load of HBV DNA （r=0.350,P 〈 0.05）. Conclusion The level of CD4＋CD25＋CD127low Tregs in HCC patients is increased remarkably and associated with the number of HBV DNA copy, which may be an important mecha-nism of immunologic escape of virus in HCC.