Combined TIM-3 and PD-1 blockade restrains hepatocellular carcinoma development by facilitating CD4+ and CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor immune responses

Figure 1 Programmed cell death protein 1 and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 were upregulated in CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells isolated from hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Mononuclear cells were isolated from tumor tissues, ascites, and matched adjacent tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. A and B: Programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) (A) and T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM-3) (B) expression on CD4+ T cells in tumor tissues, ascites, and matched adjacent tissues of HCC patients (n = 20) was assessed with flow cytometry; C and D: PD-1 (C) and TIM-3 (D) expression on CD8+ T cells in tumor tissues, ascites, and matched adjacent tissues of HCC patients (n = 20) was assessed with flow cytometry; E and F: PD-1 expression on CD4+ (E) cells and CD8+ (F) T cells in tumor tissues was positively correlated with that in ascites; G and H: TIM-3 expression on CD4+ cells and CD8+ T cells in tumor tissues was positively correlated with that in ascites. Data from at least three independent experiments were presented as mean ± SD. ^aP < 0.01, tumor group compared with the adjacent group; ^bP < 0.01, ascites group compared with the adjacent group. PD-1: Programmed cell death protein 1; TIM-3: T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3.