Multimodal clinical parameters-based immune status associated with the prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Table 2 Immune status and biomarkers of immune cells

Immune components	Immune status
DCs	Decreased antigen presentation, decreased quantity, impaired function
Macrophages	Antigen presentation disorder, activates Th2 immune response, promotes Tregs
MDSC	Inhibits by free radicals, arginase, and TGF-β
Neutrophils	Positively correlated with the stage of cancer
NK cells	The number and the cytolytic activity decrease. Higher total CD56+ NK cells have a good prognosis
T lymphocytes	Decreased, inhibitory receptor expression increased (decreased CD3+ T cells, CD4+ T cells and CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio. Increased CD8+ CD28- T and CD4+ CD25+ T cells)
Tfh	Decreased CXCR5CD4+, associated with tumor progression
Treg	Increases T cells, inhibits T cells proliferation, IFN-γ secretion, and NK cells response. Poor prognostic markers
Th17 cells	Increased, unspecified effect, and associated with disease progression. Elevated Th17 and Th1 numbers may promote progression as prognostic markers
CIK	Decreased, weakened anti-cancer effect
NK T cells	Dual action, promoting Th2 cytokines. Correlated with invasion and metastasis

DCs: Dendritic cells; MDSC: Myeloid-derived suppressor cells; NK: Natural killer cell; Tfh: T follicular helper cell; Treg: Regulatory T cell; Th: T helper cell; CIK: Cytokine-induced killer cell; TGF-β: Transforming growth factor β; CXCR: C-X-C chemokine receptor; IFN-γ: Interferon-γ.