title: Beta-catenin mutations are associated with a subset of low-stage hepatocellular carcinoma negative for hepatitis B virus and with favorable prognosis.
abstract: To better understand the role of beta-catenin mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we correlated the gene mutation with hepatitis virus B (HBV) and hepatitis virus C (HCV) status and the clinicopathological features in 366 patients with resected primary unifocal HCC. beta-Catenin mutations were also analyzed in 55 patients with multifocal HCC (68 tumors). Of the whole series, 57 (13.1%) of 434 tumors examined had beta-catenin mutations, 34 occurred at the serine/threonine residues of the GSK-3beta region of beta-catenin. Outside the GSK-3beta phosphorylation site, codons 32 and 34 were two mutational hot spots (17 tumors). The non-HBV-related HCC that was predominantly HCV related had a higher frequency of mutation (P: < 0.00001) and more frequent mutations at codon 45 than HBV-related HCC. HBV-related HCC had a younger mean age (P: < 0.00001), and higher male-to-female ratio (P: < 0.003) and positive familial history of HCC (P: < 0.014). Among 366 unifocal HCCs selected for clinicopathological analysis, beta-catenin mutations were associated with grade I (P: = 0.005) and stage I and II HCC (P: < 0.0001), and a better 5-year survival rate (P: = 0. 00003). These findings suggest mechanisms for beta-catenin mutations differ between HBV-related and non-HBV-related HCCs, and that beta-catenin mutation is a favorable prognostic factor related to low stage. beta-Catenin mutation was associated with nuclear expression of the protein (P: < 0.00001), but we failed to detect point or large fragment deletion mutation in 39 HCCs with nuclear beta-catenin expression, presumably wild-type protein. HCCs expressing mutant nuclear beta-catenin had a better 5-year survival rate (P: < 0.007), suggesting that mutant and wild-type nuclear beta-catenin proteins are not functionally equivalent and deserve more studies for further clarification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. heychi@ha.mc.ntu.edu.tw
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Jeng
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: S Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D004279:DNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D016174:Hepacivirus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin
chemical_list: C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004279:DNA, Viral; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051176:beta Catenin