title: Circulating human hepatic lipase mRNA in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and healthy controls.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate circulating human hepatic lipase mRNA as an indicator of circulating hepatoma cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital, Germany.
  
  
  METHODS
  15 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 8 healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral venous blood was obtained and total RNA was extracted from the lymphocytic layer by caesium chloride gradient centrifugation. The mRNA was reverse transcripted, and hepatic lipase cDNA was amplified by hepatic lipase specific primers with PCR. The integrity of isolated RNA was confirmed by RT-PCR with beta-actin specific primers. Amplificates were visualised by agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining.
  
  
  METHODS
  Detection of hepatic-lipase-specific RT-PCR products in peripheral blood.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Circulating hepatic lipase-specific PCR products were detected in all patients with HCC and in all healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of circulating human hepatic lipase-mRNA by RT-PCR does not indicate metastasising HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Leonhardt
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ritzel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ottleben
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramadori
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000556:secondary; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008049:Lipase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000378:metabolism*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D008049:Lipase