Expression of β-catenin Protein in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Its Relationship with Alpha-fetoprotein

• Published in: Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Medical sciences Vol. 36; no. 6; pp. 846 - 851
• Main Author: 任亚君 黄涛 余红璐 张莉 何前进 熊枝繁 彭桦
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wuhan Huazhong University of Science and Technology 01.12.2016; Division of Gastroenterology, Liyuan Hospital Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430077, China%Division of Pediatrics, Tianyou Hospital Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430064, China%Department of General Surgery, Center Hospital of Huanggang, Huanggang 438099, China%Department of Urology, Liyuan Hospital Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430077, China
• Subjects: Active Transport, Cell Nucleus; Adult; Aged; alpha-Fetoproteins - genetics; alpha-Fetoproteins - metabolism; beta Catenin - genetics; beta Catenin - metabolism; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - genetics; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Female; Humans; Liver - metabolism; Liver Cirrhosis - genetics; Liver Cirrhosis - metabolism; Liver Cirrhosis - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - genetics; Liver Neoplasms - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; β-catenin; α-fetoprotein; hepatocellular carcinoma
• ISSN: 1672-0733; 1993-1352
• DOI: 10.1007/s11596-016-1673-9

This study aimed to investigate the expression of β-catenin in hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC） tissues and its relationship with α-fetoprotein（AFP） in HCC.Immunohistochemistry was used to determine the expression of β-catenin in normal liver tissues（n=10）,liver cirrhosis tissues（n=20）,and primary HCC tissues（n=60）.The relationship between β-catenin expression and clinical parameters of HCC was investigated.Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to detect the m RNA and protein expression levels of β-catenin in the liver cancer cell line SMMC-7721 transfected with a plasmid encoding AFP,and also the m RNA and protein expression levels of β-catenin were measured in the liver cancer cell line Huh7 before and after the transfection with AFP sh RNA plasmids.The results showed that β-catenin was only expressed on the cell membrane in normal liver tissues.Its localization to the cytoplasm and nucleus of cells was observed in a small proportion of cirrhotic tissues or adjacent HCC tissues,and such ectopic expression of β-catenin was predominant in HCC tissues.The abnormal expression of β-catenin was correlated with serum AFP levels,cancer cell differentiation and vascular invasion（P〈0.05）.Additionally,the increased expression of AFP resulted in the upregulation of β-catenin m RNA and protein levels,while knockdown of AFP with AFP sh RNA led to significantly decreased β-catenin m RNA and protein levels（P〈0.05）.It was suggested that the abnormal expression of β-catenin is implicated in hepatic carcinogenesis and development.AFP can lead to increased expression of β-catenin,which may account for the poor prognosis of AFP-associated HCC patients.