Open AccessPrognostic value of polarized macrophages in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after curative resection
Author(s) -
Shu QingHua,
Ge YongSheng,
Ma HuaXing,
Gao XiaoQiang,
Pan JingJing,
Liu Dong,
Xu GeLiang,
Ma JinLiang,
Jia WeiDong
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
journal of cellular and molecular medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.44
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1582-4934
pISSN - 1582-1838
DOI - 10.1111/jcmm.12787
Subject(s) - cd68 , hepatocellular carcinoma , medicine , immunohistochemistry , proportional hazards model , cd11c , oncology , clinical significance , gastroenterology , pathology , biology , biochemistry , gene , phenotype
As the most predominant tumour‐infiltrating immune cells, tumour‐associated macrophages ( TAM s) are significant for fostering tumour growth, progression and metastasis. CD 68‐positive TAM s display dissimilarly polarized programmes comprising CD 11c‐positive pro‐inflammatory macrophages (M1) and CD 206‐positive immunosuppressive macrophages (M2). The aim of this study is to determine the prognostic significance of diametrically polarized TAM s in hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) and their application to risk stratification of patients according to their specific prognostic values. This study included 80 consecutive patients with HCC , and we evaluated diametrically polarized functional status of macrophages by immunohistochemical staining of CD 68, CD 11c and CD 206. Prognostic values and clinicopathologic features were assessed in these patients. High versus low CD 11c‐positive TAM density ( P = 0.005) and low versus high CD 206‐positive TAM density ( P = 0.002) were associated with better overall survival, whereas CD 68‐positive TAM density had no prognostic significance (low versus high, P = 0.065). Furthermore, the presence of these positive staining macrophages did not show any prognostic significance for recurrence‐free survival (all P > 0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified CD 11c‐positive and CD 206‐positive TAM s as an independent prognostic factor ( P < 0.001, P = 0.031, respectively). Intratumoural infiltration of diametrically polarized TAM s, a novel identified independent prognostic factor for survival in patients with HCC , could be combined with the TNM stage and the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage to improve a risk stratification system.