Expression of the Sonic Hedgehog signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma and its significance / 中国癌症杂志

ABSTRACT

Background and purpose: It was reported that Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway was involved in carcinogenesis and progression of various tumor types. This study was designed to observe the expression of Shh and Gli2 in SHH signaling pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to study the relationship between the expression of Shh and Gli2 and different clinicopathlogical characteristics, and further to explore the clinical significance. Methods: We studied 30 HCC tissues and 10 normal liver tissue slices using immunochemistry for the expression of Shh and Gli2, 10 fresh HCC tissues, adjacent-tumor tissues and 2 HCC cell lines HepG2, Huh7 by using RT-PCR for the mRNA expression of Shh and Gli2. Results: Immunochemistry showed in 30 HCC tissue slices,the positive ratios of the components of SHH signaling pathway Shh, Gli2 were 63.3% (19/30) and 66.7% (20/30), respectively. Expression of Gli2 was significantly correlated with the pathological grade and the tumor invasion in hepatic portal vein (P=0.017 and P=0.024). Shh and Gli2 did not express in normal liver tissue. RT-PCR showed Shh and Gli2 were detected as positive in both HCC tissues and lines. The expressions of Shh mRNA and Gli2 mRNA were higher in HCC than in adjacent-tumor tissues (P<0.05). The expressions of Shh mRNA and Gli2 mRNA were higher in Huh7 than in HepG2 cell lines, but no significant difference was found between them (P>0.05). Conclusion: The expressions of Shh and Gli2 were elevated in HCC, which indicated that SHH signaling pathway may be involved in human HCC carcinogenesis. The study may be useful for treatment of HCC.