[Relationship between hepatitis C virus infection and expression of apoptosis-related gene bcl-2, bax and ICH-1 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues].
OBJECTIVE
To study the association between hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and expression of apoptosis-related gene bcl-2, bax and ICH-1, and explore the significance of HCV infection in the tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
The expression of HCV antigen (NS5) along with bcl-2, bax and ICH-1 proteins was investigated in 40 specimens of hepatocellular carcinomas by immunohistochemistry method, with 13 normal liver tissues serving as control.


RESULTS
Eleven carcinoma specimens were positive for NS5 antigen, accounting for a positive rate of 27.5 %, and 5 tissue specimens adjacent to the carcinomas were identified as positive, with a rate of 12.5 %. Of the 11 carcinoma tissues positive for NS5, bcl-2 and bax were positive respectively in 1 case (showing a ratio of 1:1), and ICH-1L and ICH-1S were positive in 5 and 6 cases respectively (showing a ratio of 1:1.2). Among the 29 NS5-negative cases, bcl-2 and bax were positive in 6 and 7 cases respectively constituting a ratio of 1:1.4, while ICH-1L and ICH-1S were identified in 10 and 15 cases respectively, at the ratio of 1:1.5. No significant differences were found between NS5-positive and -negative groups (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Aberrant expression of bcl-2, bax and ICH-1 may be related to HCC genesis, but HCV infection may not be the principal cause for their expression aberrance.
Guo
Lin-Lang
LL
Department of Pathology, Zhujiang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou, China. linlangg@yahoo.com
Guo
Ying
Y
Cao
Chang-An
CA
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D053143:Caspase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D053143:Caspase 2; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C087036:NS-5 protein, hepatitis C virus; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase