Dynamics of endothelial progenitor cells in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. Issue 7 (July 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Campani, Claudia; Capone, Manuela; Liotta, Francesco; Arena, Umberto; Adotti, Valentina; Di Bonaventura, Chiara; Aburas, Sami; Colagrande, Stefano; Calistri, Linda; Annunziato, Francesco; Marra, Fabio
• Is Part Of: Digestive and liver disease. Volume 54:Issue 7(2022)
• Page Start: 911
• Page End: 917
• Publication Date: 2022-07
• Subjects: EPC Endothelial Progenitor Cells -- HCC Hepatocellular Carcinoma -- EC Endothelial cells -- BM Bone Marrow -- CD Cluster of Differentiation -- CP Child-Pugh -- EASL European Association for the Study of the Liver -- MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging -- CT Computed Tomography -- ECOG Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group -- MELD Model for End-stage Liver Diisease -- ALBI Albumin-Bilirubin -- pALBI platelet-Albumin-Bilirubin -- BCLC Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer -- Ita.Li.Ca. Italian Liver Cancer -- mRECIST modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors -- PD Progressive Disease -- CB Clinical Benefit -- AFP alpha-fetoprotein, -- VED Vascular Enhancement of Disease -- BMI Body Mass Index -- ERK Extracellular signal-Regulated Kinase; Angiogenesis -- Liver cancer -- Sorafenib -- Systemic therapy; Digestive organs -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Liver -- Diseases -- Periodicals; 616.33005
• DOI: 10.1016/j.dld.2021.11.010
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1590-8658

Abstract

Abstract: Background and aims: Circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPC) predict tumor vascularization and disease progression, but limited information is available on their dynamics in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) undergoing systemic treatment. Methods: We prospectively analyzed different populations of EPC in 16 patients with advanced HCC receiving sorafenib. Patients were studied before therapy (T0, n = 16) and after two (T2, n = 12) and eight weeks (T8, n = 8), using high-performance flow-cytometry. The tumor response at T8 was categorized as progressive disease (PD) or clinical benefit (CB, all other responses). Results: At T0, higher levels of CD34 + CD133 + KDR + and CD34 + KDR + were observed in patients with alpha-fetoprotein ≥400 ng/ml or non-viral liver disease, whereas CD34 + CD133 + KDR + cells were virtually absent in patients with vascular invasion. CD34 + KDR + and CD34 + CD133 + KDR + were directly correlated with platelet count. Frequencies of all populations of EPC declined in patients receiving sorafenib. Levels of CD34 + CD133 + were higher at T0 in patients with CB compared to patients with PD. In patients belonging to the CB group CD34 + KDR + cells at T0 were directly correlated to platelet count. Conclusion: In patients with advanced HCC, EPC are directly correlated with platelet count, suggesting a common activation of selected bone marrow pathways. Levels of a CD34 + KDR + are higher at baseline in patients responding to sorafenib.