PURPOSE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in many parts of the world, however the molecular mechanisms underlying liver cell transformation remain obscure. The instability of microsatellite sequences dispersed in the genome has been linked to a deficiency in cellular mismatch repair. This phenotype has been frequently observed in various human neoplasms and is regarded as a major factor in tumorigenesis. To investigate cumulative genetic changes related with apoptosis during development and progression of HCC, we examined DNAs isolated from 12 Korean HCCs and their adjacent non-tumorous parts to look for evidence of microsatellite instability (MSI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve microsatellite loci (D6S271, D6S426, D13S153, D13S263, D17S849, D17S938, D17S945, D18S474, D18S64, D19S420, D.19S418 and D19S210) were amplified by PCR from 12 Korean HCCs, and analyzed using an automated DNA analyzer. RESULTS: The high percentages of the MSI were found for the loci of D6S426 (33.3%) and D17S945 (25.0%). The related genes with high frequency of MSI were noted in the wafl (41.7%) and p53 (25.0%). From this study, fifty eight percent of HCCs (7/12) showed MSI with at least one marker. CONCLUSION: This results suggest that the analysis of MSI in HCC might be useful for identifying genes whose loss of function contributes to the development of liver cancer. Furthennore, this method may give a more rapid and accurate sizing of the PCR products of microsatellite; making the routine assessment of MSI possible in many clinical fields.
Apoptosis ; Carcinogenesis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; DNA ; DNA Mismatch Repair ; Genome ; Humans ; Liver ; Liver Neoplasms ; Microsatellite Instability* ; Microsatellite Repeats* ; Phenotype ; Polymerase Chain Reaction*