Liver Cancer
Copyright ©2005 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Mar 14, 2005; 11(10): 1445-1451
Published online Mar 14, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i10.1445
Clinicopathological significance of expression of paxillin, syndecan-1 and EMMPRIN in hepatocellular carcinoma
Hai-Gang Li, De-Rong Xie, Xi-Ming Shen, Hong-Hao Li, Hong Zeng, Yun-Jie Zeng
Hai-Gang Li, Xi-Ming Shen, Hong Zeng, Yun-Jie Zeng, Department of Pathology, The Second Affiliated Hospital to Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
De-Rong Xie, Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital to Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Hong-Hao Li, Department of Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital to Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the Major Programs of Health Bureau of Guangdong Province, No. A200194
Correspondence to: De-Rong Xie, Department of Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital to Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China. xiederong@21cn.com
Telephone: +86-20-81332616 Fax: +86-20-81332781
Received: August 30, 2004
Revised: August 31, 2004
Accepted: December 3, 2004
Published online: March 14, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To evaluate the relationship of expression of paxillin, syndecan-1 and EMMPRIN proteins with clinicopathological features in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: Fifty-one patients who underwent HCC resection were recruited in the study. Paxillin, syndecan-1 and EMMPRIN proteins in HCC tissues were detected with immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS: Of 51 cases of HCC, 23 (45%) exhibited paxillin protein positive expression. Of 42 cases of adjacent non-tumor liver tissues, 24 (57%) exhibited positive expression. Positive paxillin protein expression was associated with low differentiation (r = 0.406, P = 0.004), with the presence of portal vein thrombosis (r = 0.325, P = 0.021), with extra-hepatic metastasis (r = 0.346, P = 0.014). Of 51 cases of HCC, 28 (55%) exhibited syndecan-1 protein positive expression. Of 42 cases of adjacent non-tumor liver tissues, 23 (55%) exhibited positive expression. Positive snydecan-1 protein expression was associated with well differentiation (r = 0.491, P = 0.001), with no extra-hepatic metastasis (r = 0.346, P = 0.014). Of 51 cases of HCC, 28 (55%) exhibited EMMPRIN protein positive expression. Of 42 cases of adjacent non-tumor liver tissues, 21 (50%) exhibited positive expression. Expression of EMMPRIN protein was not associated with serum AFP level, HBsAg status, presence of microsatellite nodule, tumor size, presence of cirrhosis and necrosis, differentiation, presence of portal vein thrombosis, extra-hepatic metastasis, disease-free survival and overall survival (P>0.05). Expression of paxillin protein was correlated conversely with the expression of syndecan-1 protein in HCC (r = -0.366, P = 0.010).

CONCLUSION: Expression of paxillin and syndecan-1 proteins in HCC may affect its invasive and metastatic ability of the tumor. There may be a converse correlation between the expression of paxillin and syndecan-1 protein in HCC. Expression of EMMPRIN protein may be detected in HCC, but it may play little role in the invasion and metastasis of HCC.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Paxillin; Syndecan-1; EMMPRIN; Immunohistochemistry