PURPOSE: To detect the expression of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) in peripheral blood T lymphocytes of patients with primary liver cancer and its effect on their prognosis. METHODS: The medical records of 42 patients with primary liver cancer, 36 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 38 healthy volunteers composed the liver cancer group, benign lesion group and control group, respectively. Fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) was used for detecting the expression level of PD-1 mRNA in peripheral blood T lymphocytes of subjects in the three groups, and flow cytometry was used for detecting the positive expression of PD-l protein on the surface of T lymphocytes of subjects. RESULTS: Patients in the control group and the benign lesion group had lower expression level of PD-1 mRNA than those in the liver cancer group (p<0.05). Patients in the control group had lower expression level of PD-1 mRNA than those in the benign lesion group (p<0.05). Patients in the control group and the benign lesion group had lower positive expression rate of PD-1 protein on the surface of T lymphocytes than those in the liver cancer group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of PD-1 in the peripheral blood was higher in patients with primary liver cancer. Patients in the PD-1 low expression group had significantly better prognosis than those in the PD-1 high expression group. PD-1 may be related to the occurrence and development of primary liver cancer and is worthy of further study.
PURPOSE: To detect the expression of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) in peripheral blood T lymphocytes of patients with primary liver cancer and its effect on their prognosis. METHODS: The medical records of 42 patients with primary liver cancer, 36 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 38 healthy volunteers composed the liver cancer group, benign lesion group and control group, respectively. Fluorescence quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) was used for detecting the expression level of PD-1 mRNA in peripheral blood T lymphocytes of subjects in the three groups, and flow cytometry was used for detecting the positive expression of PD-l protein on the surface of T lymphocytes of subjects. RESULTS:Patients in the control group and the benign lesion group had lower expression level of PD-1 mRNA than those in the liver cancer group (p<0.05). Patients in the control group had lower expression level of PD-1 mRNA than those in the benign lesion group (p<0.05). Patients in the control group and the benign lesion group had lower positive expression rate of PD-1 protein on the surface of T lymphocytes than those in the liver cancer group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of PD-1 in the peripheral blood was higher in patients with primary liver cancer. Patients in the PD-1 low expression group had significantly better prognosis than those in the PD-1 high expression group. PD-1 may be related to the occurrence and development of primary liver cancer and is worthy of further study.