Published online Jun 15, 2001. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v7.i3.340
Revised: March 13, 2001
Accepted: March 18, 2001
Published online: June 15, 2001
AIM: In this study we investigated the relationship of the X protein of HBV and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and the expression of NF-κB in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues.
METHODS: Immunohistochemistry SP method was used to detect the expression of NF-κB and the X protein of HBV in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues of 52 cases. Gene transfection mediated by lipofectamine was used to transfect the eukaryotic expression vector pCDNA3-1-HBX of HBV x gene into human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HCC-9204 and NF-κB was detected.
RESULTS: NF-κB was widely expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues in a total of 52 cases and its expression was related to the X protein of HBV. NF-κB was localized both in the cytoplasm and the nuclei of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in 11 cases which were positive for the X protein of HBV while in 41 cases negative for the X protein of HBV, NF-κB was only localized in the cytoplasm of hepatocellular carcinoma cells but translocated to the nuclei of hepatocellular carcinoma cells after the eukaryotic expression vector pCDNA3-1-HBX was transfected into HCC-9204 cells.
CONCLUSION: This study strongly suggests that the nuclear factor NF-κB is widely expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues in different styles according to the expression of the X protein of HBV. NF-κB is abnormally activated in hepatocellular carcinoma, which is probably related to the X protein of HBV. The X protein of HBV can activate NF-κB to translocate into nuclei of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.