OBJECTIVETo explore the relationships between the expression of transgelin in dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with hepatocellular carcinoma lysates and the functions of the DCs.

METHODSDCs derived from healthy human white blood cells were divided into 3 groups: one was pulsed with high metastatic potential hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (MHCC97H) lysates, one with lysates of a low metastatic potential cell line (MHCC97L), and one un-pulsed DCs served as the control. The morphology of the DCs was observed by confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The phenotypes of the DCs were detected by flowcytometric analysis. The mixed leucocyte reaction (MLR) test and IL-12 secretion of DCs in the supernatants of MLR were employed to determine the functions of the DCs; the expression of transgelin was detected by Western blot.

RESULTSThere were no morphological changes in the different DCs, but the levels of HLA-DR, CD80, CD83, CD86, MLR and IL-12 and transgelin were significantly higher in the two pulsed groups than those in the control group (P less than 0.01). In MHCC97H pulsed DCs, their CD80, CD83, CD86, and the expression of transgelin were also higher than those in the control group (P less than 0.05). The expression of transgelin was significantly higher in the MHCC97H pulsed group than in the MHCC97L loaded group, but CD80, CD83, CD86 and the level of IL-12 were all lower in the MHCC97H loaded DC group in comparison with those in the MHCC97 pulsed group (P less than 0.05).

CONCLUSIONThe expression of transgelin in DCs pulsed with HCC lysates is related to the functions of the DCs.