Expression of M2 macrophages in hepatocellular carcinoma, and its correlation with NF-κB p50

ObjectiveTo evaluate the expression of M2 macrophages and nuclear factor κB(NF-κB) p50 in patients with different stages of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), and analyze the relationship between them.

MethodsThe expression levels of CD163 and CD206 in 80 cases of paraffin sections of patients with HCC and 10 cases of patients with hepatolithiasis(control group) were detected.The expression levels of CD163, CD206 and NF-κB p50 in 20 cases of fresh liver tissues of patients with different stages of HCC were detected using Western blotting from October 2015 to January 2016.

ResultsThe co-localization of CD163 and CD206 in paraffin section of HCC was higher than that in control group, and the co-localization of which in TNM Ⅲ+Ⅳ stage HCC was higher than that in TNM Ⅰ+Ⅱstage HCC.The results of Western blotting showed that the expression levels of CD163, CD206 and NF-κB p50 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissue were higher than those in para-carcinoma tissue(P < 0.05 to P < 0.01), and the expression levels of CD163, CD206 and NF-κB p50 in Ⅲ+Ⅳ stage hepatocellular carcinoma tissue were higher than those in Ⅰ+Ⅱ stage hepatocellular carcinoma tissue(P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).The expression of NF-κB p50 was positively correlated with the expressions of CD163 and CD206(r=0.963, r=0.944, P < 0.01).

ConclusionsWith the development of liver tissue, the number of M2 macrophages and NF-κB p50 level increase, which suggest that the two may have synergistic effects to promote the progression of liver cancer.