[Expression of caspase3 gene does not correlate with tumor cell apoptosis in primary hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between caspase3 expression and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
In situ hybridization was employed to determine caspase3 expression, and in situ end-labeling was used to detect apoptotic cells in HCC.


RESULTS
Twenty one of 39 (53.8%) cases of HCC were found to express caspase3 transcripts, while 46.2% of HCC failed to express it. Adjacent non-cancerous liver tissues showed more caspase3 positiveity (87.5%, 7/8) as compared with HCC (P < 0.05). The expression of caspase3 was correlated with HCC differentiation, as 72.2% (13/18) of moderately to well differentiated HCC showed positive caspase3 transcripts, while only 38.1% of poorly differentiated HCC was caspase3 positive (P < 0.05). No relationship was found between caspase3 and tumor size or grade or metastasis, although 62.5% (5/8) of HCC with metastasis was caspase3 positive but it did not differ significantly from that without metastasis (P > 0.05). Expression of caspase3 alone did not affect the apoptosis index (AI) of HCC. AI was 7.1@1000 in caspase3-positive tumors (n = 21), as compared to 6.6@1000 (n = 18) in caspase3-negative cases (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Although loss of caspase3 expression may contribute to hepato-carcinogenesis, its expression may not be related to cell apoptosis in HCC.
Sun
B
B
Department of Clinical Immunology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical University, Wuhan 430030, China.
Zhang
J
J
Wang
B
B
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization / Q000379:methods; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
C505407:CASP3 protein, human; D053148:Caspase 3; D020169:Caspases