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Decreased expression of CD28 coincides with the down‐modulation of CD3ζ and augmentation of caspase‐3 activity in T cells from hepatocellular carcinoma‐bearing patients and hepatitis C virus‐infected patients
Author(s) -
MAKI AKIRA,
MATSUDA MASANORI,
ASAKAWA MASAMI,
KONO HIROSHI,
FUJII HIDEKI,
MATSUMOTO YOSHIRO
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2004.03455.x
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , medicine , hepatitis c virus , cd28 , cd3 , cd8 , immune system , flow cytometry , t cell , apoptosis , cancer research , immune modulation , peripheral blood mononuclear cell , immunology , virus , biology , biochemistry , in vitro
Background and Aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes chronic inflammation and increases the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This immunosuppressive state may be one reason why HCV‐infected patients often have multicentric cancers. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to assess the cellular immune function in HCC‐bearing and HCV‐infected patients. Methods: The expression of cluster of differentiation (CD)3ζ, CD28 and caspase‐3 activity of peripheral blood T lymphocytes (PBL) from HCC‐bearing patients, HCV‐infected patients and normal subjects was measured by flow cytometric methods. Furthermore, intrahepatic T lymphocytes (IHL) and tumor‐infiltrating T lymphocytes (TIL) from HCC patients were used. Results: Decreased expressions of CD3ζ, CD28 and the augmentation of caspase‐3 activity were recognized in PBL from HCC and HCV patients. These phenomena were more dominant in TIL and IHL than in PBL in HCC patients. Furthermore, the down‐modulation of CD3ζ and increased caspase‐3 activity occurred in CD28 down‐modulated T cells. Conclusion: These results demonstrate impairment of the cellular immune system in HCC and HCV patients from the viewpoints of the down‐modulation of CD3ζ and CD28 on T cells and T‐cell apoptosis. In addition, the results imply that the down‐modulation of CD3ζ and T‐cell apoptosis take place in activated T cells.