Expression of a novel apoptosis inhibitor-Survivin in human hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华消化杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective Survivin, one of the inhibitory protein of apoptosis, is selectively expressed in the tissue of malignant tumors. The present study was to investigate the role of Survivin expression in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Two HCC cell lines, forty histologically verified HCC specimens and their neighboring noncancerous tissues were obtained. Western blotting was used to test protein expression of Survivin. Semi quantitative RT PCR was used to measure Survivin mRNA levels. TUNEL was employed to examine the apoptosis index of HCC tissues. Results Survivin protein and mRNA expression were detected in 2 HCC cell lines and 34 of 40 (85.0%) HCC tissues. In contrast, no expression of Survivin in corresponding noncancerous tissues was detected. The positivity rate of Survivin expression in cases of intrahepatic metastasis was 93.5%, higher than that without intrahepatic metastasis (55.6%, P