[Relationship between aberrant FHIT transcripts and hepatocellular carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between aberrant FHIT transcripts and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and single strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) assays were used to analyze the transcripts and mutations of FHIT gene in 24 matched tumorous tissues and para-tumorous tissues from patients with HCC and in 4 normal liver tissues. RESULTS: Aberrant FHIT transcripts were observed in 11 out of 24 (46%) tumorous tissues and in 2 (8%) of the matched para-tumorous tissues. CONCLUSION: FHIT aberrant transcripts may play an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.