Interleukin-34 is associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B patients

Backgrounds: IL‑34 is involved in a number of auto-immunities and cancers. We explored the relationship between serum/hepatic IL‑34 and hepatitis B virus (HBV) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV‑HCC) patients. Methods: Serum was obtained from the HBV patients or healthy control with written consents. Liver tissue was obtained from liver biopsy in CHB, HBV related cirrhosis patients or curative resection in HBV‑HCC patients. Serum IL‑34 and MCSF were measured, using ELISA. HepaticIL‑34, MCSF and CD68 were determined, using immunohistochemistry. Results: Serum IL‑34 was 1.7, 1.6 or 1.7 fold higher in HBV‑HCC than that of the other three groups (CHB, HBV related cirrhosis, and healthy control). Serum IL‑34 was significantly reduced after trans‑hepatic arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in HBV‑HCC patients. There was significant correlation between the incidence of HBV‑HCC and IL‑34 (r s =0.160, p <0.05) as well as AFP (r s =0.442, p <0.01). Furthermore, intra-hepatic IL‑34 was higher in HBV‑HCC than that of the other three groups. Intra-hepatic IL‑34 was associated with high HBV‑DNA, HBeAg - , low tumor differentiation and small tumor size of HBV‑HCC patients. Intra-hepaticCD68 + TAMs were increased 1.6 or 1.3 fold in HBV‑HCC compared to that from CHB or HBV-cirrhosis. Intra-hepatic CD68 + TAMs were associated with high HBV‑DNA, high tumor differentiation, big tumor size, abnormal AFP and more tumor number. Conclusions: IL‑34, correlated with HBV‑HCC and IL‑34, may be used as a therapeutic target in precise medicine for management of HBV‑HCC.