High expression of IL-17 and IL-17RE associate with poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

• Published in: Journal of experimental & clinical cancer research 2013-01, Vol.32 (1), p.3-3, Article 3
• Main Authors: Liao, Rui, Sun, Jian, Wu, Han, Yi, Yong, Wang, Jia-Xing, He, Hong-Wei, Cai, Xiao-Yan, Zhou, Jian, Cheng, Yun-Feng, Fan, Jia, Qiu, Shuang-Jian
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; Biomedical research; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - immunology; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Enzymes; Female; Gene expression; Hepatic Stellate Cells - immunology; Hepatic Stellate Cells - pathology; Hepatoma; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Inflammation; Interleukin-17 - biosynthesis; Interleukin-17 - immunology; Interleukins; Liver cancer; Liver Neoplasms - immunology; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Lymphocytes; Male; Microarray Analysis; Middle Aged; Patients; Prognosis; Receptors, Interleukin-17 - biosynthesis; Receptors, Interleukin-17 - immunology; Studies; T cells; Th17 Cells - immunology; Tumors
• ISSN: 1756-9966; 0392-9078; 1756-9966
• DOI: 10.1186/1756-9966-32-3

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a typical malignancy in a background of chronic inflammation. Th17 cells (a major source of IL-17) constitute crucial components of infiltrating inflammatory/immune cells in HCC and can amplify inflammatory response via binding to interleukin-17 receptor (IL-17R). Thus, we investigated the expression and clinical significance of IL-17 and IL-17 receptor family cytokines in HCC. The expression and prognostic value of IL-17 and IL-17R (A-E) were examined in 300 HCC patients after resection. Six Th17 associated cytokines in serum (n = 111) were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Phenotypic features of IL-17+ CD4+ T cells were determined by flow cytometry analysis. High expression of intratumoral IL-17 and IL1-7RE were significantly associated with poorer survival (p = 0.016 and