Gut Liver.  2014 May;8(3):298-305.

The Correlation between NK Cell and Liver Function in Patients with Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma

• Sha WH
• Zeng XH
• Min L

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
This study aimed to detect the expression of natural killer (NK) cell receptor natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) in the peripheral blood of patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma and to discuss the correlation between NK cell cytotoxicity and liver function.
METHODS
The number of NK cells and the expression of NK cell receptor NKG2D in peripheral blood were determined by flow cytometry in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, hepatitis B cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis B, and healthy controls.
RESULTS
When compared with patients in the healthy and the chronic hepatitis B groups, the primary hepatocellular carcinoma group showed significant decreases in all parameters, including the cytotoxicity of NK cells on K562 cells, expression rate of NKG2D in NK cells, number of NKG2D+ NK cells, expression level of NKG2D, and number of NK cells (p<0.05). The activity of NK cells showed a positive correlation, whereas the Child-Pugh scores in the primary hepatocellular carcinoma and the hepatitis B cirrhosis groups showed a negative correlation with all parameters detected above.
CONCLUSIONS
The decrease of NK cell activity in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma is closely related to their lower expression of NKG2D. Liver function affects the expression of NKG2D and the activity of NK cells.

Keyword

Killer cells, natural; Liver neoplasms; Natural killer group 2D

MeSH Terms

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*physiopathology
Case-Control Studies
Female
Humans
K562 Cells
Killer Cells, Natural/*physiology
Liver Neoplasms/*physiopathology
Lymphocyte Subsets/physiology
Lymphopenia/physiopathology
Male
Middle Aged
NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K/metabolism
T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic/physiology
NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K