Peripheral Blood Regulatory T-Cell and Type 1 Helper T-Cell Population Decrease after Hepatic Artery Embolization

To evaluate changes in T-cell populations in peripheral blood after bland hepatic artery embolization (HAE).

Bland HAE was performed in 12 patients to treat primary (n = 5) or metastatic (n = 7) liver tumors, using microspheres and polyvinyl alcohol (n = 8) or microspheres alone (n = 4). Patient peripheral blood samples were collected within 1 month before HAE, within 1 week after HAE (early period after HAE), and 2-8 weeks after HAE (follow-up period). Peripheral blood populations of cytotoxic T lymphocytes, CD4(+) T cells, type 1 helper T cells (Th1) and type 2 helper T cells (Th2), and regulatory T cells (Treg) were evaluated using flow cytometry. Changes in T-cell populations before and after bland HAE were compared using paired t tests.

Peripheral blood CD4(+) T-cell populations decreased significantly in the early period after HAE (44.0% ± 2.2 to 34.4% ± 3.6, P < .01) and in the follow-up period (44.0% ± 2.2 to 36.3% ± 3.0, P < .01). Among the individual CD4(+) T-cell subtypes, Treg (2.5% ± 0.3 to 1.7% ± 0.2, P < .02) and Th1 (8.1% ± 1.8 to 5.6% ± 1.6, P < .02) decreased significantly in the early period after HAE only. The presence of extrahepatic disease was associated with decreasing Treg (P < .04).

After HAE, the peripheral blood T-cell environment is changed with decreases in Treg and Th1.