Original Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 1999. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Feb 15, 1999; 5(1): 25-27
Published online Feb 15, 1999. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v5.i1.25
Effect of HCV infection on expression of several cancer-associated gene products in HCC
Jian-Min Yang, Rong-Quan Wang, Bao-Guo Bu, Zi-Cheng Zhou, Dian-Chun Fang, Yuan-Hui Luo
Jian-Min Yang, Rong-Quan Wang, Bao-Guo Bu, Zi-Cheng Zhou, Dian-Chun Fang, Yuan-Hui Luo, Department of Gastroenterology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China
Jian-Min Yang, male, born on 1956-06-21 in Linhai, Zhejiang Province, graduated from Third Military Medical University in 1983, earned doctor degree in 1993, now associate professor and tutor of postgraduates, mainly engaged in the basic and clinical research on hepatocellular carcinoma, as first and second or third author having 30 and 20 papers published, co-edited 3 monographs, which were awarded both the 2nd and 3rd Class prizes for scientific and technological progress of the PLA.
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the PLA Eighth 5-year Scientific Research Fund for Youths.
Correspondence to: Prof Jian-Min Yang.
Telephone: +86-23-68754124(O), 68754270(H)
Received: September 17, 1998
Revised: November 20, 1998
Accepted: December 14, 1998
Published online: February 15, 1999
Abstract

AIM To study hepatocarcinogenesis of hepatitis C virus (HCV).

METHODS Expression of HCV antigens (CP10, NS3 and NS5) and several cancer-associated gene products (ras p21, c-myc,c-erbB-2, mutated p53 and p16 protein) in the tissues of hepato-cellular carcinoma (HCC, n = 46) and its surrounding liver tissue were studied by the ABC (avidin-biotin complex ) immu nohistochemical method. The effect of HCV infection on expres-sion of those gene products in HCC was analyzed by comparing HCV antigen-positive group with HCV antigen negative group.

RESULTS Positive immunostaining with one, two or three HCV antigens was found in 20 (43.5%) cases, with either of two or three HCV antigens in 16 (34.8%) cases, and with three HCV antigens in 9 (19.6%) cases. Deletion rate of p16 protein expression in HCC with positive HCV antigen (80%, 16/20) was significantly higher than that in HCC with negative HCV anti-gen. Where as no significant difference of the other gene product expression was observed between the two groups.

CONCLUSION HCV appears related to about one-third of cases of HCC in Chongqing, the south-west of China, and it may be involved in hepato-carcinogen esis by inhibiting the function of p16 gene, which acts as a negative regulator of cell cycle.

Keywords: carcinoma; hepatocellular/e-tiology; hepatit is C-like viruses/pathogenicity; onco-genes/genetics; genes, suppressor; tumor/genetics; immunohistochemistry/methods