Increased expression of Abi1 in hepatocellular carcinoma and its correlation with poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the expression of Abi1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the correlation between its expression level and clinical pathological characteristics as well as prognosis of HCC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Abi1 expression was determined at both mRNA and protein levels in 40 HCC tissues and their corresponding para carcinomatous liver tissues by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. The correlations between Abi1 expression levels and pathological characteristics as well as prognosis were also analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression level of Abi1 mRNA in HCC tissues were significantly higher than those in corresponding para carcinomatous liver tissue (P < 0.05), and the expression level of Abi1 mRNA in nodular HCC tissues were also significantly higher than those in solitary large HCC tissues. Immunohistochemistry results showed that Abi1 protein located in cytoplasm of HCC cells and the expression level of Abi1 protein were significant positive correlated with the number of HCC, capsular formation, venous invasion and Edmondson-Steiner grade (P < 0.05). Combined with follow-up data, the results also showed that HCC patients with high Abi1 protein expression had a higher risk of invasion/metastasis and a shorter survival than those with low Abi1 protein expression (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Expression level of Abi1 is up-regulated in HCC tissues compared with corresponding para carcinomatous liver tissue and the expression level of Abi1 is significantly correlated with the number of tumor, capsular formation, venous invasion, Edmondson-Steiner grade and prognosis of HCC.</p>

Down-regulated expression of UNC5b related to hepatocellular carcinoma angiogenesis / 中华外科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the relationship between UNC5b gene expression and angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>In situ hybridization was performed to detect the expression of UNC5b mRNA in HCC samples, paracarcinomatous liver tissues samples and normal liver samples. The relationship between UNC5b mRNA expression and the HCC clinicopathological features were also analyzed. Human umbilical artery endothelial cells were isolated and stimulated with HCC tissues homogenate, vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. Then RT-PCR was employed to detect the expression of UNC5b mRNA in normal HUAEC as well as activated HUAEC.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In situ hybridization results showed that UNC5b mRNA expression was detected majorly in endothelial cells of all normal liver tissues, and partial PCLTs but was weak or even undetectable in endothelial cells of the corresponding HCC tissues. The expression levels of UNC5b gene in PCLTs were significantly correlated with capsular formation of HCC. Furthermore, RT-PCR results showed that the expression levels of UNC5b mRNA in activated HUAEC were significantly higher than those in normal HUAEC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Down-regulation of UNC5b gene expression is related to angiogenesis of HCC, which may be associated with the progression of HCC.</p>

Risk factors for metastasis and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma at different stages / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the risk factors for metastasis and recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) postoperatively.@*METHODS@#Data of 270 cases of postoperative HCC were analyzed by SPSS software retrospectively.@*RESULTS@#Out of the 270 cases, 162 got follow-up study and 136 showed metastasis and recurrence. Lots of risk factors induced the recurrence of HCC, such as AFP, tumor form, venous blood invasion, HBV infection, resection dimension and perioperative transfusion. There were different risk factors at different stages.@*CONCLUSION@#The early recurrence of HCC may be mediated by macro- or micro-vessel blood invasion and metastasis, the late recurrence by multicentric carcinogenesis or introhepatic cacinoma de novo.

Overexpression of the RhoC gene correlates with invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma / 中华肿瘤杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Rho, a ras homologous gene, encodes a group of GTP-binding proteins. Our previous study suggested that one member of the Rho gene family, RhoC, was related to the progression of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study is to elucidate correlation of Rho overexpression with invasion and metastasis of HCC.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression level of RhoC mRNA and protein in 25 cases of HCC and adjacent non-cancerous liver tissue was examined by RT-PCR and Western blot. Mutation of RhoC gene was examined by PCR-SSCP.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of RhoC mRNA and protein was found in all HCC and adjacent non-cancerous liver tissue. The expression level of RhoC mRNA and protein was significantly higher in tumor tissue than in adjacent non-cancerous liver tissue (1.8 +/- 1.1 vs 1.0 +/- 0.7; 33 992 +/- 10 384 vs 17 342 +/- 9998, P < 0.01). The degree of RhoC overexpression was even more marked in metastatic lesions than in primary tumors (P < 0.01). Overexpression of the rhoC gene was significantly correlated with such clinic-pathological findings as cell differentiation, portal vein invasion, number of primary tumor nodules and metastatic lesions (P < 0.05). Mutation of RhoC gene was found in none of the HCC specimens examined.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Overexpression of RhoC gene may play an important role in carcinogenesis and progression of HCC.</p>