Correlation between Loss of PTEN Expression and PKB/AKT Phosphorylation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
- Author:
Zhifang YANG
1
;
Jilin YI
;
Xingrui LI
;
Wei LONG
Author Information
1. Tongji Hospital Tongji Medical College Huazhong University of Science and Technology
- Keywords:
hepatocellular carcinoma;
PTEN;
AKT;
phosphorylation
- From:
Journal of Huazhong University of Science and Technology (Medical Sciences)
2005;25(1):45-47
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
The clinical significance of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) protein expression and the correlation between the expression of PTEN and phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB/AKT) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were investigated.The expression of PTEN and phospho-AKT was detected by SP immunohistochemical technique and Western blotting in 35 cases of HCC, 15 cases of liver cirrhosis and 8 cases of normal tissues. The correlation between the expression of PTEN and PKB/AKT in HCC was analyzed. The results showed that the positive expression of PTEN in HCC (62.9 %, 0. 085±0. 021) was significantly lower than that in liver cirrhosis and normal tissues (P＜0.01). The expression level of PTEN was related to the differentiation degree of HCC and the status of metastasis (P＜0. 05). Western blotting revealed a significant inverse correlation between PTEN and phospho-AKT (r=-0. 818, P＜0.01). These results demonstrated that down-regulation or loss of PTEN, which may not be able to effectively inhibit the hyper-phosphorylation of PKB/AKT, might play an important role in tumorigenesis and progression of HCC.
