Immune environment plays an important role in the management of liver cancer. The current study aimed to explore the change of NK and NKT cells, IL-17A, CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells in refractory liver metastases patients before and after CalliSpheres® microspheres transarterial chemoembolization (CSM-TACE). Peripheral blood (PB) samples from 35 refractory liver metastases patients were collected before CSM-TACE (baseline), 2 days (D2) and 5 days (D5) after CSM-TACE. Then, NK and NKT cells, IL-17A, CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells from PB samples were detected. All enrolled patients successfully completed CSM-TACE procedure and achieved disease control rate of 100% after 1 month. NKT cells were increased from baseline to D2 and D5 [median (range): 5.88% (1.53%-12.05%) vs. 9.54% (5.19%-15.71%) vs. 7.12% (2.77%-13.29%)], NK cells were also enhanced from baseline to D2 and D5 [median (range): 14.35% (5.85%-20.52%) vs. 20.36% (15.88%-27.30%) vs. 30.82% (22.18%-37.72%)], while IL-17A was declined from baseline to D2 and D5 [median (range): 22.11 (9.46-39.18) pg/ml vs. 12.41 (3.24-26.84) pg/ml vs. 6.55 (1.11-20.98) pg/ml]. Furthermore, IL-17A was negatively correlated with the NK and NKT cells at baseline, D2 and D5 (all p < .05), respectively. Additionally, CD4+ T cells and CD4+ T/CD8+ T ratio were increased while CD8+ T cells were declined from baseline to D2 and D5 (all p < .05). NK cells, NKT cells, and CD4+ T cells are increased but IL-17A and CD8+ T cells are declined after CSM-TACE in refractory liver metastases.
Keywords: CalliSpheres® microspheres-transarterial chemoembolization; IL-17A; NK cells; immune environment; refractory liver metastases.