OBJECTIVESTo explore the effects of E-selectin, ICAM-1 and their ligands on the adhesive metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to select possible anti-adhesion drugs for hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis.

METHODS78 HCC patients were analyzed with the correlation of clinical features to the expression levels of E-selectin, sLeX, sLeA and CD44v6 in the tumor tissue. The adhesion between HepG2 and endothelial cell lines was examined by solid phase adhesion assay in vitro. Two kinds of drugs were accessed for their anti-adhesion ability.

RESULTSThe positive rate of E-selectin in vascular endothelia cells adjacent to cancer nest is 70.51%, and which of sLeX, sLeA, CD44v6 within tumor cells is 64.10%, 69.23%, 62.90% respectively. The patients' life span is closely related with the positive expression of sLeX, sLeA, CD44v6 (P = 0.008, 0.001, 0.022). The positive expression of E-selectin, sLeX and sLeA is significantly correlated to portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), preoperative extrahepatic metastasis, and satellite foci, but not to the size of tumor and AFP. The level of CD44v6 expression is significantly correlated to patient's survival time. The expression levels of E-selectin and ICAM-1 are remarkably higher after ED25 and ECV304 cell lines be activated. Meanwhile the adhesive ability of HepG2 to endothelial cell is mediated. Dexamethasone, tanshinone IIA are able to block this adhesion at low concentration.

CONCLUSIONThe expression levels of E-selectin, sLeX, sLeA and CD44v6 are closely correlated with clinical features. E-selectin, ICAM-1 and their ligands are important molecules of hepatocellular carcinoma and endothelial cells to tumor adhesive metastasis. Dexamethasone, tanshinone II A can be hopefully used as anti-adhesion drugs.