Identification and significance of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Aim of study. The study identified and assessed the role of endothelial progenitor cells in the peripheral blood circulation of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Material and methods. There were 133 HCC patients who qualified for liver resection, 45 for liver transplantation, and 42 for palliation. Control groups consisted of 43 healthy and 42 cirrhotic individuals. Circulating HSCs and EPCs were measured by phenotypic analysis of fresh blood samples in a flow cytometer according to the approval of ISHAGE. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) were defined and enumerated as CD34(+),133(+),CD45(dim), CD309(+). Results were evaluated statistically indicating the rate of endothelial progenitor cells (%EPCs) in the fraction of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs — defined as CD34(+),CD133(+),CD45(dim), the subpopulation of leukocytes (WBC) — defined asCD45(+) cells.

Results. Significant differences were found in the rate of the EPC fraction and in the HSC subpopulation between cancer patients and healthy individuals (the test used was U-Mann-Whitney: Chisq = –5.92, p < 0.0001 and Chisq = 3.85,p < 0.0001, respectively), and between patients with cirrhosis and with a healthy liver (Chisq = –6.09, p < 0.0001 and Chisq = 2.47, p < 0.01, respectively). The differences between patients with HCC and with liver cirrhosis were statisticallynot significant.

Conclusions. Increasing the rate of hematopoietic stem cells and endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood circulation indicates the importance for HCC development.