Correlation Between Stromal Microenvironment and TLR3 Expression, Prognosis Respectively in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective To analyse the correlation between the stromal microenvironment and the Toll-like receptor 3(TLR3) expression, the prognosis respectively in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods The tissue microarrays of human HCC were prepared with self-owned patent technology. The expression of various indexes in HCC stroma and TLR3 in HCC cells were examined with immunohistochemistry. The correlation between the indexes with TLR3 and theirs relationship with the prognosis of HCC were analyzed by multi-factor correlation analysis as well as survival analysis of Kaplan-Meier.

Results T cells, Kupffer cells, natural killer (NK) cells and dendritic cells (DCs) had positive correlation with the TLR3 expression in HCC. Mast cells, carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and microvessel density (MVD) had negative correlation with the TLR3 expression in HCC. Kupffer cells and NK cells were positively related with the prognosis of HCC. Mast cells, CAFs and MVD were negatively related with the prognosis of HCC.

Conclusion The stromal microenvironment of HCC plays an important role in HCC evolution.