AIM: To investigate the expression of interleukin-7(IL-7) in human liver cancer and identify the splice variant of IL-7. METHODS: Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for investigating the expression of IL-7. According to IL-7 gene cDNA, the primers were designed and synthesized, then the splice variant of IL-7 in human liver cancer cells was identified, cloned into vector and sequenced. RESULTS: The expression of IL-7 mRNA was equal between normal liver tissue and hepatic cancer cells.A new band of IL-7 was obtained from hepatic cancer cells, which lacks exon 4. CONCLUSION: IL-7 gene is expressed highly in both normal liver tissue and hepatic cancer cells. In addition, hepatic cancer cells can produce splicing variant by alternative splicing.

Objective:To investigate the expression of interleukin-7 in human liver and stomach,identify the splice variants of IL-7.Methods:Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) was used for investigating the expression of IL-7.According to IL-7 gene cDNA,the primers were designed and synthesized,then the splice variants of IL-7 in human cancer tissues was identify,cloned into vector and sequenced.Results:The results showed that(1)the expression of IL-7 mRNA was nearly equal between human liver and stomach,(2)two new bands of IL-7 was obtained from liver cancer and gastric carcinoma,one lacks exon 4,another exon 5.Conclusion:IL-7 gene is expressed highly in both human liver and stomach.In addition,human liver cancer and gastric carcinoma can produce splicing variants of IL-7 by alternative splicing.