606 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE STAGE OF LIVER FIBROSIS AND REGULATORY T (TREG) CELLS IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEPATITIS C COINFECTED WITH HIV

Abstract

suggest to lead to suppression of tumor-associated antigen reactive lymphocytes. Aim of the study: To evaluate whether CD4+CD25+ Treg cells in chronic liver disease and Hepatocellular carcinoma patients exhibit an expanded Treg pool correlate it with liver tumor marker and grading. Patients and Methods: 20 pts suffering from chronic liver disease (CLD) mean age 50±9.9 yrs and 15 pts with HCC, mean age 60±8.3 yrs. And ten control subjects mean age 37±7.4 yrs were recruited. Alpha feto-protein (AFP), HBV and HCV antibodies were detected by EIA. HCV confirmed by immunoblotting and RT-PCR. To evaluate HCC grading US guided liver biopsy were done. Patients’ group were categorized into moderately differentiated (grade II); and poorly differentiated (grade III). All studied groups were subjected to LFTs, AFP by EIA. Cytometric analysis of Tregs CD4+CD25+ T cells in PBMCs was performed using anti-CD3; CD4, CD25, CD45RA and IgG-isotype control (FITC and PE). Results: Both CLD and HCC patients groups were 80% +ve for HCV while, were 20% and 11% respectively for HBV. Mean percentage of CD4+CD25+T cells populations demonstrated highly significant increase in comparing HCV to HCC patients 2.47±0.66 vs. 8.96±1.38 (P = 0.00) and when comparing both group to controls 1.15±0.5 (P 0.05). Correlation were found between mean CD4+CD25+ T cells percentage and serum AFP in HCC (r = 0.615) and with tumor grades (II and III) patients groups (r = 0.474, 0.582) respectively. CLD patients group showed significant negative correlation with AFP level (r = −0.48). Conclusion: Tumor specific T reg cells may limit the efficacy of anti tumor response. They correlate properly with the unique marker AFP and with tumor grades. Better understanding of the underlying mechanism of T-reg regulation or strategy for controlling T-regs may enhance tumor immunity and effective cancer immunotherapy.