Glypican-3 is overexpressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma.
To identify candidate genes that could be used as diagnostic and therapeutic targets for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we searched for the genes that are overexpressed in HCC by combining representational difference analysis and microarray. Genes such as glypican-3 (GPC3), insulin-like growth factor 2, long-chain fatty-acid-coenzyme A ligase 4, farnesyl diphosphate synthase were frequently identified in our screening. Northern blot analysis with these four genes confirmed their overexpression in HCC. Among them we found that GPC3 transcript is upregulated in six out of seven cases of HCC. Immunoblot and immunohistochemical staining using polyclonal anti-GPC3 antibodies further confirmed that GPC3 protein is indeed increased in HCC tumor samples. We also found that GPC3 is secreted into culture media from cell lines derived from HCC. We conclude that GPC3 is a good molecular marker for HCC.
Sung
Young Kwan
YK
Department of Immunology, Kyungpook National University Medical School, Chung-gu, Daegu, Republic of Korea.
Hwang
Sun Young
SY
Park
Mi Kyung
MK
Farooq
Mohammad
M
Han
In Sook
IS
Bae
Han Ik
HI
Kim
Jung-Chul
JC
Kim
Moonkyu
M
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics*; D017931:DNA Primers; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D053673:Glypicans; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; C105937:GPC3 protein, human; D053673:Glypicans; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins