OBJECTIVETo study the role of arginase-1 (Arg-1) expression in differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Arg-1 staining pattern in clear cell neoplasm (HCC and non-HCC) and Arg-1 expression in non-hepatocellular tumors.

METHODSSeventy-eight cases of HCC (including 8 cases of clear cell type and 70 cases of non- clear cell type) and 246 cases of non-hepatocellular neoplasms (including 29 cases of metastatic tumors such as breast cancer, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and neuroendocrine carcinoma, 77 cases of tumors with clear cell changes such as malignant melanoma, clear cell renal cell carcinoma and alveolar soft part sarcoma, and 140 cases of other types of tumors such as ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma, pituitary tumor and thyroid papillary carcinoma) were studied.Immunohistochemical study for Arg-1 was performed on the paraffin-embedded tumor tissue.

RESULTSIn HCC, Arg-1 demonstrated both cytoplasmic and nuclear staining, with an overall sensitivity of 96.2% (75/78).In well, moderately and poorly differentiated HCC, the sensitivity was 15/15, 100% (41/41) and 86.4% (19/22), respectively. That was in contrast to negative staining for Arg-1 in all the 29 cases of metastatic tumors studied. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Arg-1 in distinguishing HCC from metastatic tumors was 96.2%, 100%, 100% and 90.6%, respectively. Cytoplasmic and membranous staining was observed in clear cell type of HCC. The overall sensitivity of Arg-1 expression in the 77 cases of tumors with clear cell changes was 14.3% (11/77), including 8/15 for malignant melanoma, 2/4 for ovarian clear cell carcinoma and 1/1 gall bladder adenocarcinoma with clear cell component.In malignant melanoma and ovarian clear cell carcinoma, only cytoplasmic staining was demonstrated. There was no expression of Arg-1 in the 140 cases of other tumor types studied.

CONCLUSIONSArg-1 is a sensitive and specific marker for HCC.It is a potentially useful immunohistochemical marker in distinguishing HCC from metastatic tumors. Though also expressed in malignant melanoma and ovarian clear cell carcinoma, Arg-1 shows a different staining pattern as compared with that in HCC.

Adenocarcinoma ; enzymology ; Adult ; Aged ; Arginase ; metabolism ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; pathology ; secondary ; Cell Differentiation ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; enzymology ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; secondary ; Male ; Melanoma ; enzymology ; Middle Aged ; Ovarian Neoplasms ; enzymology ; Stomach Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology

Animals ; Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase ; metabolism ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Fatty Liver ; enzymology ; pathology ; Hepatitis, Viral, Human ; enzymology ; pathology ; Humans ; Liver Diseases ; enzymology ; pathology ; Liver Diseases, Alcoholic ; enzymology ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; prevention & control

OBJECTIVETo explore the relationship between the alteration in GGT mRNA expression and the development of HCC.

METHODSThree GGT mRNA types (F, H, and P) in normal liver tissues, diseased liver tissues without HCC, cancerous and noncancerous tissues from livers with HCC, and noncancerous tissues from livers with metastatic tumor were tested by RT-PCR.

RESULTSIn normal livers, the main type of GGT mRNA was type F. In liver diseases but not HCC, the distribution of the type GGT mRNA was nearly the same as in normal livers. The prevalence of type H was significantly higher in both cancerous and noncancerous tissues of livers with HCC than in livers without HCC (P<0.05). The prevalence of type F in cancerous tissues was significantly lower than that in livers without HCC (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe GGT mRNA expression in the human liver will shift from type F to type H during the development of HCC. The fragment analysis of GGT genes may be a sensitive assay to detect hepatic cell canceration.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; genetics ; pathology ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ; Humans ; Liver ; enzymology ; metabolism ; pathology ; Liver Diseases ; enzymology ; genetics ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; genetics ; pathology ; Male ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; metabolism ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; gamma-Glutamyltransferase ; genetics

OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of sugar chain structures of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in hepatoma tissue and its relation to the invasiveness of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODSThe binding ratios of ALP from 9 normal liver tissues, 16 hepatoma tissues and 16 noncancerous tissues surrounding hepatoma were analysed by affinity chromatography on various lectin columns including leukoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin (L-PHA), lentil lectin (LCA), Datura stramonium agglutinin (DSA), erythroagglutinating phytohemagglutinin (E-PHA) and Sambucus nigra bark agglutinin (SNA).

RESULTSThe binding ratios of ALP on L-PHA (22.94%+/-5.30%), DSA (55.97%+/-13.72%), LCA (38.16%+/-8.87%), E-PHA (11.56%+/-4.81%) and SNA (69.80%+/-13.71%) in HCC tissues were significantly increased (P<0.01) compared with that in normal liver tissues (L-PHA 5.89%+/-2.75%, DSA 36.20%+/-11.58%, LCA 17.90%+/-6.71%, E-PHA 5.38%+/-2.20%, SNA 57.32%+/-11.27%), respectively. t values between the two groups were 8.94, 3.64, 5.94, 3.62 and 2.32, respectively. L-PHA-binding ratio (25.84%+/-4.67%) of ALP in HCC with invasiveness was significantly higher than that (18.10%+/-3.64%) without invasiveness (t=3.71, P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONThe changes of ALP sugar chain structures occur in HCC tissue. b1-6 branching sugar chain structure of ALP is related to the invasiveness of HCC.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; chemistry ; Carbohydrates ; chemistry ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; pathology ; Chromatography, Affinity ; Humans ; Lectins ; metabolism ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Neoplasm Invasiveness

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) has been implicated in the survival and progression of some cancer cells, by compensating for endoplasmic reticulum stress by upregulating the protein-folding capacity. However, its prognostic role in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been investigated. METHODS: We collected HCC tissues from 83 HCC patients who underwent surgical resection for an immunohistochemical study of PDI. Overall survival (OS) was measured from the date of surgical resection until the date of death from any cause. Radiological progression was evaluated using the modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors in an independent radiological assessment. RESULTS: PDI expression was found to be increased in human HCC compared to adjacent nontumor tissues. Increased immunopositivity for PDI was associated with a high Edmondson-Steiner grade (p = 0.028). Univariate analysis of patients who had undergone surgical resection for HCC showed that tumor PDI upregulation is a significant risk factor for poor OS (p = 0.016; hazard ratio [HR], 1.980) and time to progression (TTP; p = 0.007; HR, 1.971). Multivariate analyses revealed that high PDI expression was an independent predictor of a shorter TTP (p = 0.015; HR, 1.865) and poor OS (p = 0.012; HR, 2.069). CONCLUSIONS: Upregulated PDI expression is associated with aggressive clinicopathological features of HCC; thus, PDI might serve as an independent prognostic factor and a potential therapeutic target for HCC patients.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*enzymology/pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Liver Neoplasms/*enzymology/pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Protein Disulfide-Isomerases/*metabolism ; Retrospective Studies ; Tumor Markers, Biological/metabolism

Apoptosis ; drug effects ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; pathology ; virology ; Hepacivirus ; genetics ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; virology ; Telomerase ; metabolism ; Viral Core Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism

Apoptosis ; physiology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; pathology ; Carrier Proteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; DNA-Binding Proteins ; metabolism ; Gene Targeting ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; RNA Interference ; Telomerase ; metabolism ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

NM23 is a family of structurally and functionally conserved proteins known as nucleoside diphosphate kinases (NDPK). There is abundant mRNA expression of NM23-H1, NM23-H2, or a read through transcript (NM23-LV) in the primary sites of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although the NM23-H1 protein is implicated as a metastasis suppressor, the role of NM23-H2 appears to be less understood. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine whether NM23-H2 is associated with hepatocarcinogenesis. The level of NM23-H2 expression in tumor tissues and the surrounding matrix appeared to be independent of etiology and tumor differentiation. Its subcellular localization was confined to mainly the cytoplasm and to a lesser extent in the nucleus. Ectopic expression of NM23-H2 in NIH3T3 fibroblasts and HLK3 hepatocytes showed a transformed morphology, enhanced focus formation, and allowed anchorage-independent growth. Finally, NIH3T3 fibroblasts and HLK3 hepatocytes stably expressing NM23-H2 produced tumors in athymic mice and showed c-Myc over-expression. In addition, NF-kappaB and cyclin D1 expression were also increased by NM23-H2. Lentiviral delivery of NM23-H2 shRNA inhibited tumor growth of xenotransplanted tumors produced from HLK3 cells stably expressing NM23-H2. Collectively, these results indicate that NM23-H2 may be pro-oncogenic in hepatocarcinogenesis.
Animals ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*enzymology/genetics/pathology ; Cell Line ; Cell Line, Tumor ; *Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Humans ; Liver/*enzymology/metabolism/pathology ; Liver Neoplasms/*enzymology/genetics/pathology ; Mice ; Mice, Nude ; NIH 3T3 Cells ; NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases/*genetics/metabolism

In order to investigate the change of telomerase activity and phosphorylated (activated) extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) 1 and 2 in hepatocarcinomatous cell line SMMC7721 and leukemic cell line K562 proliferation inhibition and apoptosis, three kinds of chemotherapeutic drugs harringtonine (HRT), vincristine (VCR) and etoposide (VP-16) were selected as inducers; and MTT assay, flow cytometry analysis, telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assay and bioluminescence analysis were used. The results showed that after treatment of HRT, VCR and VP-16 for 24 hours, the cell proliferation was inhibited, apoptosis was induced, and telomerase activity and the protein expression of phosphorylated ERK1/2 were down-regulated. In HRT treated groups, the descendent grade was the most obvious. It was concluded that the common molecular mechanism of these chemotherapeutic drugs killing SMMC7721 and K562 cell lines might be through inhibiting ERK signal transduction pathways, cutting down ERK activity, reducing the transcription of target genes of ERKs, then indirectly down-regulate telomerase activity, and cell apoptosis is the final result of durative loss of telomere.
Antineoplastic Agents ; pharmacology ; Apoptosis ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular ; enzymology ; pathology ; Humans ; K562 Cells ; Leukemia ; enzymology ; pathology ; Liver Neoplasms ; enzymology ; pathology ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 ; metabolism ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; metabolism ; Phosphorylation ; Telomerase ; metabolism ; Tumor Cells, Cultured

Benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) that is easily introduced to humans via consumption of grilled or smoked meat. BaP causes harmful oxidative effects on cell development, growth and survival through an increase in membrane lipid peroxidation, oxidative DNA damage and mutagenesis. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the synergistic effects of BaP on oxidative stress in hepatic tumors. In this study, we established a hepatic tumor model by injecting rat hepatoma N1-S1 cells into healthy rats. Changes in the abundance of heat shock proteins (HSPs), antioxidant enzymes and pro-inflammatory cytokines were then investigated by western blot analysis. In addition, we examined changes in oxidative stress levels. Injection of N1-S1 cells or concomitant injection of BaP and N1-S1 cells resulted in the formation of hepatic tumors at the injection site. Evaluation of rat plasma reveals that hepatic tumors induced by BaP and N1-S1 cells expresses higher levels of Hsp27, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) when compared to those induced by N1-S1 cells only. The collective results of this study suggest that BaP exerts synergistic effects on the expression of HSP, cytokines and antioxidant enzymes in hepatic tumors induced by rat hepatoma N1-S1 cells.
Animals ; Antioxidants/*metabolism ; Benzo(a)pyrene/*pharmacology ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism/pathology ; Cell Line, Tumor/*drug effects ; Cytokines/*metabolism ; Heat-Shock Proteins/*metabolism ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/*enzymology/*metabolism/pathology ; Male ; Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism/pathology ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley