title: Amplification of c-myc in hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation with clinicopathologic features, proliferative activity and p53 overexpression.
abstract: Expression of the proto-oncogene c-myc has been implicated in liver regeneration and hepatocarcinogenesis. The biologic significance of c-myc gene amplification in human hepatocellular carcinoma, however, is unconfirmed. We correlated c-myc gene amplification with clinicopathologic features, proliferative activity, and p53 expression in 42 resected tumors. c-myc amplification in tumor tissue was determined using a differential polymerase chain reaction, a useful procedure for the evaluation of gene amplification in archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, in comparison with a dopamine D2 receptor gene. Proliferative activity was estimated by numbers of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions and immunohistochemical nuclear labeling rates using a monoclonal antibody against Ki-67. The c-myc gene was amplified in 14 of 42 tumors (33.3%). Amplification of c-myc was more frequent in younger patients and in larger tumors, and less differentiated tumors. No correlation was noted with alpha-fetoprotein level or viral hepatitis state. The amplification showed positive correlation with both proliferative activity and p53 overexpression. Disease-free survival in patients showing c-myc amplification was significantly shorter than in those without amplification. These results suggest that c-myc amplification is an indicator of malignant potential and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma. c-myc amplification and p53 alteration may be coparticipating events in the progression of these tumors.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Surgery, Gunma University School of Medicine, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawate
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fukusato
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohwada
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Watanuki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Morishita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division; D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53