Correlation between two different methods in detecting CD4 ⁺CD25^hi-int T regulatory cells in peripheral blood of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To explore the correlation between CD127^low and Foxp3 ⁺ cell labeling-based methods in detecting CD4⁺CD25 ^hi-int T regulatory cells (Tregs) in peripheral blood of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to establish a regression equation based on the percentages of CD4+CD25^hi-intTregs in total CD4⁺ T cells obtained with the two methods. METHODS: The levels of CD4 ⁺CD25^hi-intTregs were detected by flow cytometry using CD-127^low and Foxp3⁺ markers in peripheral blood of 31 HCC patients. The levels of CD4⁺CD25^hi-int Foxp3 ⁺Tregs were measured in 32 healthy controls. RESULTS: The percentage of CD4⁺CD25^hi-int Foxp3⁺ Tregs in total CD4⁺ T cells in peripheral blood of HCC patients was significantly higher than that in healthy controls (10.33% ± 4.47% vs 7.34% ± 1.76%, P < 0.01). The percentage of CD4⁺CD25 ^hi-intCD127^lowTregs in peripheral blood of HCC patients (10.51% ± 4.78%) is positively correlated with that of Foxp3⁺ Tregs (r = 0.889, P < 0.01). Curve fitting showed that power model is the optimal model. According to the power model, the following regression equation was established: Y = 1.236 × (x^0.899)(Y and x represent the percentages of Foxp3+Tregs and CD-127^lowTregs, respectively). CONCLUSION: Treg level is significantly elevated in peripheral blood of HCC patients. There is a positive correlation between the percentage of CD4 ⁺CD25^hi-intFoxp3⁺Tregs and that of CD4 ⁺CD25^hi-intCD127^lowTregs in peripheral blood of HCC patients. The conversion between the percentage of CD4⁺CD25 ^hi-intFoxp3⁺Tregs and that of CD4⁺CD25 ^hi-intCD127^lowTregs can be achieved using a regression equation.