目的：探讨循环内皮祖细胞（endothelial progenitor cells，EPCs）计数在肝细胞肝癌（hepatocellular carcinoma，HCC）诊断及预后判断中的价值。方法：选取2008年1月至2010年12月上海市第一人民医院宝山分院治疗的HCC患者（n=39）及健康对照者（n=20），用淋巴细胞分层液Ficoll分离单个核细胞，并用CD34FITC、CD133PE、VEGFR2APC进行荧光标记，然后以流式细胞仪检测循环CD34+CD133+VEGFR2+EPCs占外周血单个核细胞的比例，并分析HCC患者循环中CD34+CD133+VEGFR2+ EPCs比例与临床分期等的病理特征相关性。结果：HCC患者循环CD34+CD133+VEGFR2+EPCs比例为（0.138±0.05）%，而健康对照人员循环EPCs比例为（0.027±0.013）%，前者显著高于后者(P＜0.01)。HCC患者循环CD34+CD133+VEGFR2+EPCs水平与HCC临床分期呈正相关。结论：HCC患者循环CD34+CD133+VEGFR2+ EPCs比例上调，且与HCC临床分期相关，在HCC的诊断和预后判断中可能有重要的价值。

Objective:To investigate the clinical significance of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) counting in diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Tirtynine patients with HCC and 20 healthy individuals were recruited from Shanghai First People’s Hospital Baoshan Branch (Jan. 2008 to Dec. 2010) in this study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation, then stained with antibodies against CD34, CD133, VEGFR2 which were conjugated to FITC, PE and APC respectively. Circulating EPCs were characterized as CD34+CD133+VEGFR2+ cells and its proportion in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was detected by flow cytometry. Relationship between the proportion of CD34+CD133+VEGFR2+ EPC and clinical stage, etc. of HCC was analyzed. Results:The level of circulating CD34+CD133+VEGFR2+ EPCs in HCC patients was significantly higher than that in healthy control(0.138±0.05)%,vs (0.027±0.013)% (P<0.05). Furthermore, the level of circulating EPCs in HCC patients was positively correlated to clinical stages. Conclusion: Circulating CD34+CD133+VEGFR2+ EPCs proportion is upregulated in HCC patients, and related to clinical stage of HCC, which may be significant in diagnosis and prognosis of HCC.

上海市卫生局青年科技基金资助项目（No. 2007Y43)