The Expression And Significance Of Th22Cells In The Peripheral Blood Of Patients With Primary Hepatic Carcinoma

Objective:To investigate the proportion of peripheral blood Th22cells in the patients with primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC) and infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), preliminarily analysis the probable role of Th22cells in the pathogenesis of PHC, and the correlation of Th22cells with Th1,Th17and Treg cells.Methods:16patients with liver cirrhosis,14patients with cirrhotic primary hepatic carcinoma were enrolled in the study, all of the patients were infected with HBV.16healthy volunteers were selected as controls. The peripheral blood specimens were collected, and the proportions of Th22,Th1,Th17and Treg cells were detected by flow cytometry (FCM).The clinical significance of changes concerning the clinical data were preliminarily discussed. The proportions of peripheral blood Th22, Th1, Th17and Treg cells among three groups were discussed. The correlations of Th22cells and other CD4+T cell subsets in PHC patients were analyzed. The correlations of CD4+T cell subsets and serum HBV DNA levels, tumor diameter in PHC patients were also analyzed respectively.Results:1. The levels of Th22cells in the peripheral blood of PHC patients, liver cirrhosis patients and healthy controls:The percentage of Th22cells in PHC patients[(1.13±0.24)%] was significantly increased than in liver cirrhosis patients[(0.70±0.20)%] and healthy controls[(0.61±0.07)%](P<0.05).There was no significant difference between liver cirrhosis patients and healthy controls(P>0.05).2. The levels of Thl cells in the peripheral blood of PHC patients, liver cirrhosis patients and healthy controls:The percentages of Thl cells in PHC patients[(30.09±7.97)%] and liver cirrhosis[(31.38±6.99)%] were significantly increased than in healthy controls [(18.13±3.27)%](P>0.05).There was no significant difference between patients with PHC and liver cirrhosis (P>0.05).3. The levels of Th17cells in the peripheral blood of PHC patients, liver cirrhosis patients and healthy controls:The percentage of Th17cells in PHC patients[(3.74±1.21)%] was significantly increased than in liver cirrhosis patients[(2.40±0.43)%] and healthy controls [(2.15±0.53)%](P<0.05).There was no significant difference between liver cirrhosis patients and healthy controls(P>0.05).4. The levels of Treg cells in the peripheral blood of PHC patients, liver cirrhosis patients and healthy controls:The percentage of Th17cells in PHC patients[(8.96±2.98)%] was significantly increased than in liver cirrhosis patients[(6.66±1.10)%] and healthy controls[(4.35±0.64)%](P<0.05).There was no significant difference between liver cirrhosis patients and healthy controls(P<0.05).5. The correlations between the frequencies of Th22cells and other CD4+T cell subsets in PHC patients:There was a positive correlation between the expressions of Th22and Th17cells in PHC patients(r=0.638, P<0.05), but no association Th22cells with Thl and Treg cells (r=0.06821,P>0.05;r=-0.2222,P>0.05).6. The correlations between the tumor diameter and the frequencies of CD4+T cell subsets in PHC patients:The tumor diameter was positively correlated with the expressions of Th17and Th22cells in PHC patients(r=0.658, P<0.05; r=0.845, P<0.05),but not with Thl and Treg cells(r=0.167, P>0.05; r=-0.290, P>0.05).7. The correlation between the serum HBV DNA load and the frequencies of CD4+T cell subsets in PHC patients:The serum HBV DNA load was not correlated with the expressions of Th22, Thl, Th17and Treg cells(r=0.044, P>0.05;r=0.3863, P>0.05; r=0.1038, P>0.05; r=4).3157, P>0.05).Conclusion:1. The levels of Th22, Th17and Treg cells in the peripheral blood of PHC patients were higher than that of liver cirrhosis patients and healthy controls.2. There was a significantly positive correlation between Th22and Th17cells in the peripheral blood of PHC patients. 3. The serum HBV DNA load had no significantly positive correlations with the CD4+T cell subsets in the peripheral blood of PHC patients.4. The tumor diameter had signifinicantly positive correlations with Th22and Th17cells in the peripheral blood of PHC patients.5. Like Thl,Th17and Treg cells,Th22cells may also participate in the pathogenesis and progression of PHC patients inffected with HBV. However, the function do not have any correlation with the serum HBV DNA load.Th22cells may contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of PHC in the same way with Th17cells or by effceting on Th17cells, this provide some scientific basis for investigating immune pathogenesis of PHC.