Background

Both natural killer (NK) and CD3⁺CD56⁺natural killer T (NKT)-like cells play critical roles in the antitumor response. This study aimed to explore the effects of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) on peripheral NK and NKT-like cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to identify possible surface markers on these cells that correlate with the prognosis.

Methods

Twenty-five HCC patients were prospectively enrolled in our study, and 10 healthy individuals were served as healthy controls. Flow cytometry was used to determine the counts and the percentages of peripheral NK and NKT-like cells, cells with certain receptors, and cells with intracellular interferon-γ and TNF-α secretion at different time points, including time points of prior to SBRT, at post-SBRT, and 3-month and 6-month after treatment. The Kaplan-Meier method with the log-rank test was applied for survival analysis.

Results

The peripheral NKT-like cells was increased at post-SBRT. Meanwhile, elevated levels of inhibitory receptors and reduced levels of activating receptors of NK cells were also observed in NK cells at post-SBRT, but the levels was not significantly different at 3-month and 6-month as compared with the baseline levels. Lower percentage of NKp30⁺NK cells before SBRT and higher percentage of CD158b⁺NK cells after SBRT were associated with poor progression-free survival. In addition, higher percentage of CD3⁺CD56⁺ NKT-like cells was associated with a higher overall survival rate in HCC patients.

Conclusions

SBRT has an apparent effect on both peripheral NK and CD3⁺CD56⁺NKT-like cells. Lower percentage of NKp30⁺NK cells before SBRT and higher percentage of CD158b⁺NK cells after SBRT are correlated with poor patients' PFS. Higher percentage of CD3⁺CD56⁺ NKT-like cells is associated with higher OS in HCC patients.

中文翻译：

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体部立体定向放疗对肝细胞癌患者外周自然杀伤细胞和CD3+CD56+NKT样细胞的影响

背景

自然杀伤 (NK) 和 CD3 ⁺ CD56 ⁺自然杀伤 T (NKT) 样细胞均在抗肿瘤反应中发挥关键作用。本研究旨在探讨立体定向放射治疗 (SBRT) 对肝细胞癌 (HCC) 患者外周 NK 和 NKT 样细胞的影响，并确定这些细胞上可能与预后相关的表面标志物。

方法

25 名 HCC 患者前瞻性纳入我们的研究，10 名健康人作为健康对照。流式细胞仪用于测定不同时间点（包括SBRT前时间点）外周NK和NKT样细胞、具有某些受体的细胞以及具有细胞内干扰素-γ和TNF-α分泌的细胞的计数和百分比，在 SBRT 后、治疗后 3 个月和 6 个月。采用对数秩检验的 Kaplan-Meier 方法进行生存分析。

结果

外周 NKT 样细胞在 SBRT 后增加。同时，SBRT后NK细胞中也观察到NK细胞抑制性受体水平升高和活化受体水平降低，但与基线水平相比，3个月和6个月的水平没有显着差异。SBRT 前NKp30 ^{+ NK 细胞百分比较低和 SBRT 后 CD158b +} NK 细胞百分比较高与无进展生存期差有关。此外，较高百分比的 CD3 ⁺ CD56 ⁺ NKT 样细胞与 HCC 患者较高的总生存率相关。

结论

^{SBRT 对外周 NK 和 CD3 +} CD56 ⁺ NKT 样细胞均有明显作用。SBRT 前NKp30 ^{+ NK 细胞百分比较低和 SBRT 后 CD158b +} NK 细胞百分比较高与患者的 PFS 差相关。较高百分比的 CD3 ⁺ CD56 ⁺ NKT 样细胞与 HCC 患者较高的 OS 相关。