Effects of microwave ablation on T-cell subsets and cytokines of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate the effects of microwave ablation on T-lymphocyte subsets and cytokines in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Material and methods: Peripheral blood was collected from 45 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated by microwave ablation before treatment, one week and one month after treatment. T cells (CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ cells), CD4+ CD25+ Tregs, and CD16+ CD56+ NK cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Levels of cytokines (IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-12, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) were determined by a Luminex 200 analyzer.

Results: Compared with before treatment, CD3+ cells, CD4+ cells and IL-12 increased significantly at one month after the microwave ablation treatment, while IL-4, IL-10 decreased significantly.

Conclusions: Microwave ablation could relieve the suppression of immune function caused by tumors, promote the deviation of Th2/Th1, and improve immune dysfunction in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Keywords:

• Microwave ablation
• hepatocellular carcinoma
• T-cell subsets
• cytokines
• immunoregulation

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this study. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.