Role of CD147 and Its Ligand CypA in Hepatoma Carcinoma Hepa1-6 Cells Escaping from Immune Surveillance of T cells

Objective To investigate the effects of CypA and CD147 interactions on the biological behavior of tumor cells and T cells.

Methods The pGPU6/GFP/Neo-CD147shRNA was transfected into Hepa1-6 cells and positive clone was selected by G418. The expression level of CD147 was identified by RT-PCR and Western blot, Hepa1-6 and Hepa1-6-CD147shRNA cells were treated with different concentrations of CypA for 24h, and then CCK8 kit was used to detect the cell proliferation. Flow cytometry was used to sort the T cells of C57Bl/6j mice, and Transwell chamber assay was employed to detect the chemotactic ability of CypA for T cells. Hepa1-6 and Hepa1-6-CD147shRNA cells were inoculated subcutaneously into C57Bl/6j mice for 20 days, and the tumor volume was measured every five days.

Results Compared with Hepa1-6 cells, the CD147 level of Hepa1-6-CD147shRNA cells was decreased significantly. CypA promoted the proliferation of Hepa1-6 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, but there was no obvious effect on Hepa1-6-CD147shRNA cells. Under the intervention of Hepa1-6 cells, the chemotactic ability of CypA for T cells was significantly decreased, compared with Hepa1-6-CD147shRNA cells (P < 0.01). Tumor volume of Hepa1-6 cells in C57Bl/6j mice was significantly larger than that of Hepa1-6-CD147shRNA cells (P < 0.01).

Conclusion CypA stimulates the proliferation of Hepa1-6 cells, Hepa1-6 cells attenuates the chemotactic ability of CypA for T cells, and then escapes from immune surveillance of T cells, and this influence is CD147 dependent.