Functional Impairment of Circulating FcεRI+ Monocytes and Myeloid Dendritic Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Cholangiocarcinoma Patients: CIRCULATING MDCS IN PRIMARY LIVER MALIGNANCIES

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) represent the most common primary liver malignancies whose outcome is influenced by the immune response. METHODS: In this study, we have functionally characterized, by flow cytometry, circulating myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and FceRI+ monocytes in a group of healthy individuals (n = 10) and in a group of patients with HCC (n = 19) and CCA (n = 8), at the time point of the surgical resection (T0) and once the patient had recovered from surgery (T1). Moreover, we proceeded to a more in depth phenotypic characterization of the FceRI+ monocyte subpopulation. RESULTS: A significant decrease in the frequency of TNFα producing FceRI+ monocytes and mDCs in HCC and CCA patients when compared to the group of healthy individuals was observed, and a close association between FceRI+ monocytes and mDCs dysfunction was identified. In addition, the phenotypic characteristics of FceRI+ monocytes from healthy individuals strongly suggest that this population drives to mDCs, which matches with the fact that both populations are functionally affected. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency and the function of circulating mDCs and FceRI+ monocytes are affected in both HCC and CCA patients, and FceRI+ monocytes could represent those fated to become mDCs. © 2019 International Clinical Cytometry Society.