[Expression of growth hormone receptor mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma and matched para-cancer cirrhotic liver tissue].
OBJECTIVE
The growth hormone receptor mRNA is abundant in normal liver tissue, but its expression was not studied in detail in the tissue of liver cancer or para-cancer cirrhotic liver. This study was designed to investigate the expression of growth hormone receptor mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma and para-cancer cirrhotic liver tissue.


METHODS
The expression of growth hormone receptor mRNA was detected in 37 specimens of hepatocellular carcinoma and their para-cancer liver tissue by RT-PCR.


RESULTS
The expression rate of growth hormone receptor mRNA in hepatocellular cancerous tissue (30/37, 81%) was significantly lower than that in cirrhotic liver tissue (32/32, 100%) (P < 0.05). The expression rate in undifferentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (1/4, 20%) decreased further (P < 0.05). The expression of growth hormone receptor mRNA in cirrhotic liver tissue [ratio of integrated Optical Density (riOD) 30.77% +/- 8.24%, n = 32] was significantly lower than that in normal control liver tissue (riOD 44.93% +/- 6.25%, n = 5) (P < 0.05). The expression in severe cirrhotic liver tissue (riOD 21.90% +/- 4.72%, n = 8) decreased further (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The down-regulated expression of growth hormone receptor mRNA was related to the pathological stage of hepatocellular cancer and the stage of liver cirrhosis.
Wang
Hong-tao
HT
Department of Hepato-biliary Surgery, Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University Guangzhou 510120, P. R. China. cnwht@21cn.com
Wang
Jie
J
Ou
Qing-jia
QJ
Liu
Xiao-ping
XP
Chen
Shuang
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011986:Receptors, Somatotropin