Correlation of tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma with the expression levels of regulatory T cells and cytokines in peripheral blood

  Objective  To analyze the correlation of tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) with the expression levels of regulatory T cell(Treg) and cytokines in peripheral blood.

  Methods  A total of 56 patients who underwent liver transplantation in the 309^th Hospital of People's Liberation Army from 2010 to 2014 were studied. According to the postoperative pathological data, all the patients were divided into the group of liver transplantation for HCC (HCC group, n=28) and group of liver transplantation for cirrhosis (liver cirrhosis group, n=28), of which the HCC group was further divided into non-recurrence group (n=8) and recurrence group (n=20) according to the situation of postoperative tumor recurrence. The expression levels of Treg and cytokines vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL) -2, IL-10, IL-12, transformation growth factor (TGF) -β and interferon (IFN) -γ in peripheral blood of the patients in various groups were compared.

  Results  Compared with the liver cirrhosis group, levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 in the non-recurrence group increased significantly (both P < 0.05); levels of Treg%, VEGF, IFN-γ, IL-10 and TGF-β in the recurrence group increased significantly, while levels of IL-2 and IL-12 decreased significantly (all P < 0.05). Compared with the non-recurrence group, levels of Treg%, VEGF, IL-10 and TGF-β in the recurrence group increased significantly, while levels of IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-12 decreased significantly (all P < 0.05).

  Conclusions  Levels of Treg and cytokines can be used to predict the tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for HCC.