Liver Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2003. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 15, 2003; 9(9): 1950-1953
Published online Sep 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i9.1950
Expression and significance of RhoC gene in hepatocellular carcinoma
Wei Wang, Lian-Yue Yang, Zhi-Li Yang, Gen-Wen Huang, Wei-Qun Lu
Wei Wang, Lian-Yue Yang, Zhi-Li Yang, Gen-Wen Huang, Wei-Qun Lu, Liver Cancer laboratory, Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the grant from National Key Technologies R and D Program, No. 2001BA703B05 and the grant from Hunan Province Developing Planning Committee, No. 2001-907
Correspondence to: Lian-Yue Yang, Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Changsha, 410008, Hunan Province, China. lianyueyang@hotmail.com
Telephone: +86-731-4327326 Fax: +86-731-4327332
Received: March 4, 2003
Revised: March 23, 2003
Accepted: April 5, 2003
Published online: September 15, 2003
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the expression of RhoC gene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to evaluate the relationship between RhoC gene expression and invasion and metastasis of HCC.

METHODS: mRNA expression level of RhoC gene was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 25 cases of HCC and para-cancerous normal liver tissues. In addition, mutation of RhoC gene was examined by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP).

RESULTS: The mRNA expression levels of RhoC in tumor tissues were significantly higher than those in para-cancerous normal liver tissues (1.8 ± 1.1 vs 1.0 ± 0.7, P < 0.01). The metastatic lesions outside of liver also showed significantly higher RhoC mRNA levels than corresponding tumor tissues in liver (3.3 ± 0.5 vs 2.0 ± 0.7, P < 0.01). There were significant associations between RhoC gene expression and certain clinical and pathological findings, including cell differentiation, vein invasion, number of tumor nodes and metastatic lesions. Mutation of RhoC gene was not found by PCR-SSCP.

CONCLUSION: The RhoC gene may be related to malignant transformation and development of HCC and may play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of HCC by overexpression but not mutation.

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