[A negative correlation between B7-H3 expression and the number of CD8+ T cell infiltration in primary hepatocellular carcinoma tissues].

Objective: To investigate the relationship between B7-H3 expression and the number of CD8(+) T cell infiltration in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues.
Methods: The level of B7-H3 expression and the number of CD8(+) T cell infiltration in primary HCC were determined using immunohistochemical staining, and then the correlation between them was analyzed statistically.
Results: The immunohistochemical staining showed that the high expression of B7-H3 was found in 26 cases (41.3%), and the low expression in 37 cases (58.7%) of the 63 primary HCC. Fifty-seven cases (90.5%) were positive for B7-H3 expression in HCC tissues, and normal hepatocellular tissues hardly expressed B7-H3 molecules. The number of infiltrating CD8(+) T cells in B7-H3 high expression group was less than that in B7-H3 low expression group. B7-H3 expression was negatively correlated with the number of infiltrating CD8(+) T cells in HCC tissues. Moreover, both B7-H3 expression and CD8(+)T cell infiltration were related with clinical stage, local lymph node metastasis and distant metastasis in HCC patients.
Conclusion: B7-H3 molecules were highly expressed and negatively correlated with CD8(+) T cell infiltration in primary HCC tissues.