Brief Article
Copyright ©2012 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 21, 2012; 18(15): 1806-1813
Published online Apr 21, 2012. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v18.i15.1806
Differential expression of Rab27A/B correlates with clinical outcome in hepatocellular carcinoma
Wei-Wei Dong, Quan Mou, Jian Chen, Jian-Tao Cui, Wen-Mei Li, Wen-Hua Xiao
Wei-Wei Dong, Wen-Hua Xiao, Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, the General Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Beijing 100048, China
Quan Mou, Jian Chen, Department of surgery, 252 Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Baoding 071000, Hebei Province, China
Jian-Tao Cui, Wen-Mei Li, Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital/Institute, Beijing 100142, China
Author contributions: Xiao WH designed the research; Dong WW, Mou Q, Chen J, Cui JT and Li WM performed the research; Dong WW and Xiao WH analyzed the data; Dong WW and Xiao WH wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Dr. Wen-Hua Xiao, PhD, Chief, Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital, the General Hospital of Chinese People’s Liberation Army, No. 51 Fucheng Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, China. w_hxiao@hotmail.com
Telephone: +86-10-66867329 Fax: +86-10-66867329
Received: January 13, 2012
Revised: February 28, 2012
Accepted: March 20, 2012
Published online: April 21, 2012
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the association of Rab27A and Rab27B expression with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: We used reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time PCR, and Western blotting to detect Rab27A and Rab27B mRNA and protein expression in 5 human HCC lines and the immortalized hepatic HL-7702 cell line. We further examined 148 primary HCC samples matched with adjacent normal tissue and 80 non-HCC specimens by immunohistochemistry to evaluate the correlation of Rab27A and Rab27B expression with clinicopathological features and prognosis.

RESULTS: Our data showed that Rab27A and Rab27B were differentially expressed in cell lines and primary HCC tumors. Rab27A mRNA and protein were detected in 67% (4/6) of human cell lines and 80% (4/5) of HCC cell lines, while Rab27B was found in 50% (3/6) of human lines and 40% (2/5) of HCC lines. Rab27A expression was higher in primary HCC (46.2%, 66/143) than in matched adjacent tissue (24.3%, 33/136, P < 0.001), whereas immunopositivity for Rab27B was lower in primary HCC (57.4%, 81/141) than in matched adjacent tissue (87.5%, 119/136, P < 0.001). Analysis of clinicopathological characteristics of 148 HCC specimens revealed significant correlations between Rab27A and Rab27B expression and tumor tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) classification (P = 0.046 and P = 0.027, respectively), and between strong Rab27A expression and tumor differentiation grade (P = 0.008). Survival analyses revealed that patients with Rab27A+ or Rab27B+ tumors had significantly reduced overall survival compared with that of patients with Rab27A- or Rab27B- tumors (P = 0.015 and P = 0.005, respectively). Risk analyses revealed that Rab27B+ and TNM III-IV were independent poor prognosis factors associated with a 3.36- and 3.37- fold higher relative risk of death, respectively.

CONCLUSION: Rab27A and Rab27B expression were closely correlated with tumor progression and can be valuable prognostic indicators for HCC patients.

Keywords: Rab27A; Rab27B; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Immunohisto-chemistry; Prognosis