肝细胞癌患者T细胞Tim-3的表达及临床意义

Expression and clinical significance of Tim-3 in peripheral blood T cells of patients with hepatocellular cancer

目的 探讨肝细胞癌患者T细胞Tim-3的表达及临床意义。方法 收集2019年7月至2021年1月郑州大学第五附属医院50例肝细胞癌患者的外周静脉血标本,同时取26例健康人外周静脉血。流式细胞术检测肝细胞癌患者及健康人外周血中Tim-3的表达,检测肝细胞癌患者外周血Tim-3阳性及Tim-3阴性T细胞早期凋亡分子和内因子的表达水平,分析肝细胞癌患者Tim-3表达与临床病理参数及HBV感染的关系。结果 Tim-3在肝细胞癌患者外周血T细胞表达水平较高(P<0.01),Tim-3+T细胞分泌INF-y能力减弱,凋亡增多(P均<0.01),肝细胞癌患者外周血T细胞Tim-3的表达与肝细胞癌临床分期相关(P均<0.01),与有无HBV感染无明显相关(P均>0.05)。结论 肝细胞癌患者T细胞中Tim-3高表达,导致T细胞功能耗竭,晚期肝细胞癌Tim-3表达水平更高,可作为肝细胞癌的有效治疗靶点。

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of Tim-3 on T cells of patients with hepatocellular cancer.Methods Peripheral blood was collected from 50 patients with hepatocellular cancer at the fifth affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from July 2019 to January 2021.Peripheral blood from 26 healthy subjects was also collected during the same time period.The expressions of Tim-3,early apoptotic molecules and intrinsic factors in peripheral blood of 50 hepatocellular cancer patients were determined by flow cytometry.The expression of Tim-3 in peripheral blood of hepatocellular cancer patients was compared with that of Tim-3 in peripheral blood of healthy volunteers.The correlation between Tim-3 expression in T cell with pathological parameters and HBV infection status were investigated.Results Tim-3 expression on T cells was higher in peripheral blood from hepatocellular cancer patients(P<0.01).Tim-3+T cell function was in an exhausted status(P<0.01).And the expression of Tim-3 on T cells in hepatocellular cancer patients was closely related to clinicopathological staging(P<0.01),but not significant correlated to HBV infection(P<0.05).Conclusion Tim-3 expression on the surface of T cells could induce T cell dysfunction in patients with hepatocellular cancer.And the expression level of Tim-3 in advanced hepatocellular cancer was higher.Suggesting that Tim-3 may serve as a potential therapeutic target for hepatocellular cancer.