ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of apoptosis inhibitory protein, Livin and Smac,in pancreatic carcinoma. Methods The expressions of Livin and Smac protein in 46 cases of pancreatic carcinoma tissues and 15 cases of insulinoma tissues and 14 cases of normal pancreatic tissues were examined by using immunohistochemical SP staining, and its relationship with clinicopathological parameters was analyzed. Results The positive expression rates of Llivin protein were 73.9％ ( 34/46),73.3％ (11/15) and 14.3％ (2/14) in pancreatic carcinoma, insulinoma and normal pancreatic tissue. Livin was highly expressed in pancreatic carcinoma and insulinoma, but there was no significant difference between the two groups, however, both were significantly higher than that in normal pancreatic tissues group ( P ＜ 0.05 ). The expression of Livin was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, histopathological grading and clinical staging (P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜0.01 ). The positive expression rates of Smac protein were 39.1％ (18/46), 100％ ( 15/15 ) and 92.9％ (13/14) in pancreatic carcinoma, insulinoma and normal pancreatic tissue. Smac was highly expressed in normal pancreatic tissues and insulinoma, but there was no significant difference between the two groups, however, both were significantly higher than that in pancreatic cancer group (P ＜ 0.05 ). The expression rote of Smac protein was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, histopathological grading, chnical staging and patients' age (P ＜0.05 or P ＜0.01 ).Conclusions Livin protein may play an important role in genesis and development of pancreatic carcinoma,but Smac protein may play a role in preventing the development of pancreatic carcinoma.