Liver Cancer
Copyright ©2007 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 14, 2007; 13(34): 4554-4559
Published online Sep 14, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i34.4554
Expression of PTEN, PPM1A and P-Smad2 in hepatocellular carcinomas and adjacent liver tissues
Shu-Kun Wu, Bao-Ju Wang, Yan Yang, Xin-Hua Feng, Xi-Ping Zhao, Dong-Liang Yang
Shu-Kun Wu, Bao-Ju Wang, Xi-Ping Zhao, Dong-Liang Yang, Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
Yan Yang, Dong-Liang Yang, Center of Experimental Medicine Research, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China
Xin-Hua Feng, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX 77030, United States
Shu-Kun Wu, Department of infectious Disease, Hubei Province Corps Hospital, The Chinese People’s Armed Police Forces, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by sub-projects of National Key Basic Research Program of China (973), No. 2005CB522901
Correspondence to: Dr. Dong-Liang Yang, Division of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 1095# Jiefangdadao, Wuhan 430030, Hubei Province, China. dlyang@tjh.tjmu.edu.cn Telephone: +86-27-83662894 Fax: +86-27-83662894
Received: April 15, 2007
Revised: June 2, 2007
Accepted: June 9, 2007
Published online: September 14, 2007
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the expressions of PTEN, PPM1A and P-Smad2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and their significance.

METHODS: The expressions of PTEN, PPM1A and P-Smad2 in 31 HCC tissues, 25 adjacent liver tissues and 13 non-tumor liver tissues were detected by using Envision immunohistochemical technique.

RESULTS: The positive expression (64.52%) and staining intensity (4.19 ± 3.31) of PTEN in the cytoplasm of HCC were significantly lower and weaker than those in the adjacent or non-tumor liver tissues (97.37%, 7.88 ± 0.93; 100%, 7.77 ± 0.93, respectively) (P < 0.05), and its staining intensity in the cytoplasm of HCC, which belongs to Edmondson pathologic grades II-III and above, was also lower than that of gradeIandI-II. Furthermore, its location in the nucleus or cytoplasm of liver cells was negatively correlated with the progression of liver disease (r = -0.339, P = 0.002); most of PPM1A might be only expressed in the nucleus of adjacent liver tissues, non-HCC tissues or Edmondson gradeIandI-II HCC, but it was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of HCC with Edmondson grade ≥ II, weakly or negatively expressed in the nucleus (P < 0.05), and its location was negatively correlated with the progression of liver disease (r = -0.45, P = 0.0000). P-Smad2, which was mostly located in the nucleus and cytoplasm of gradeIandI-II HCC, surrounding or non-tumor liver tissues, was only in the nucleus of HCC with Edmondson grade II and above (P < 0.001), and its location was positively correlated with the disease progression (r = 0.224, P = 0.016). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that P-Smad2 was significantly negatively correlated with PTEN and PPM1A (r = -0.748, P = 0.000; r = -0.366, P = 0.001, respectively); and PTEN and PPM1A were positively correlated with HCC carcinogenesis (r = 0.428, P = 0.000).

CONCLUSION: The aberrant location of expression and staining intensity of PTEN, PPM1A and P-Smad2 in HCC and their relationship might have an impact on the pathogenesis of HCC.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, Phosphorylated Smad2, PTEN, PPM1A