Effect of high expression of Zwint on the proliferation of hepatoma cells and the prognosis of liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma / 器官移植

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the expression of zeste white 10 interactor (Zwint) in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its effect on the prognosis of liver transplantation for HCC. Methods HCC tissues, paracancerous tissues and clinical data of 50 liver transplant recipients for HCC were collected. The expression levels of Zwint messenger RNA (mRNA) and Zwint protein in 20 pairs of HCC tissues and paracancerous tissues of 20 liver transplant recipients for HCC were compared using real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Western Blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Two HCC cell lines HepG-2 which interfered with the expression of Zwint successfully were selected as si-Zwint-1 group and si-Zwint-2 group, and the blank control was taken as si-NC group. The cell proliferation and cell cycle of various groups were compared using cell counting kit (CCK) -8 experiment, flat-cloning assay and cell cycle experiment. The consistency of the expression of Zwint and cyclin D1 in HCC tissues and cells was analyzed using Western Blot and IHC. The enrolled patients were divided into high expression group (22 cases) and low expression group (28 cases) based on the median of Zwint protein expression level, and the relationship of the expression level of Zwint protein and clinical characteristics, overall survival rate and disease free survival rate of liver transplant recipients for HCC was analyzed. Results The results of real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR showed that the expression level of Zwint mRNA in HCC tissues was higher than that of paracancerous tissues (P=0.03). The results of Western Blot and IHC showed that the expression level of Zwint protein in HCC tissues was higher than that of paracancerous tissues(both P<0.05).After the Zwint gene of HCC cell line HepG-2 was interfered,CCK-8 and flat-cloning assay showed that the cell proliferation potential was significantly weakened (all P<0.01), and the cell cycle arrested at stage G1(all P<0.05). The expression level of Zwint protein was closely related to tumor diameter and tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) staging (all P<0.05). The overall survival rate of liver transplant recipients for HCC in the high Zwint expression group was lower than that of the low expression group (P=0.02). Conclusions Zwint is highly expressed in HCC tissues, and it can promote the proliferation of HCC cells through regulating cell cycle. The expression level of Zwint is negatively correlated with the prognosis of liver transplantation for HCC.