Expression of nuclear factor-kappa B in hepatocellular carcinoma and its relation with the X protein of hepatitis B virus.
OBJECTIVE
In this study we investigated the relationship of the X protein of HBV and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) and the expression of NF-kappa B in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry SP method was used to detect the expression of NF-kappa B and the X protein of HBV in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues of 52 cases. Gene transfection mediated by lipofectamine was used to transfect the eukaryotic expression vector pCDNA3.1-HBX of HBV x gene into human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HCC-9204 and NF-kappa B was detected.


RESULTS
NF kappa B was widely expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues in a total of 52 cases and its expression was related to the X protein of HBV. NF-kappa B was localized both in the cytoplasm and the nuclei of hepatocellular carcinoma cells in 11 cases which were positive for the X protein of HBV while in 41 cases negative for the X protein of HBV, NF-kappa B was only localized in the cytoplasm of hepatocellular carcinoma cells but translocated to the nuclei of hepatocellular carcinoma cells after the eukaryotic expression vector pCDNA3.1-HBX was transfected into HCC-9204 cells.


CONCLUSIONS
This study strongly suggests that the nuclear factor NF-kappa B is widely expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues in different styles according to the expression of the X protein of HBV. NF-kappa B is abnormally activated in hepatocellular carcinoma, which is probably related to the X protein of HBV. The X protein of HBV can activate NF-kappa B to translocate into nuclei of hepatocellular carcinoma cells.
Guo
S P
SP
Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital of the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China. guoshuangping@sina.com
Wang
W L
WL
Zhai
Y Q
YQ
Zhao
Y L
YL
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D015967:Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015534:Trans-Activators; D054334:Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins; C057628:hepatitis B virus X protein