[Expression and clinical significance of hepatocellular cancer antigen genes in human hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of four hepatocellular cancer antigen (HCA) gene mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma.


METHODS
The expression of HCA90, HCA519, HCA520, HCA587 mRNA was detected using RT-PCR in HCC tissues and the corresponding adjacent non-HCC tissues from 46 HCC patients, cirrhosis tissues from 10 samples and normal liver tissues from 10 samples. The relationship between positive expression rate of HCA gene and clinical and lab data was evaluated.


RESULTS
Of 46 HCC tissues, HCA90, HCA519, HCA520 and HCA587 mRNA were detectable in 65.2%, 76.1%, 45.7% and 32.6%, respectively. At least one HCA gene mRNA was positive in 82.6% of HCC tissues. Only weak expression of HCA519 could be detectable in 6.5% of the corresponding adjacent non-HCC tissues. None of 10 samples of cirrhosis and normal liver tissues expressed any HCA gene mRNA. No correlation was found between the expression of HCA and clinical date such as age, sex, tumor size, tumor differentiation, serum alpha-fetoprotein level and hepatitis B virus infection or hepatitis C virus infection (P > 0.05). However, in some patients with normal serum alpha-fetoprotein (< 25 ng/L), specific expression of HCA genes was observed.


CONCLUSIONS
HCA gene mRNA is expressed with a high percentage and specificity in hepatocellular carcinomas and their products are new potential promising targets for immunotherapy of HCC.
Wang
Wan-xiang
WX
Center of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China.
Leng
Xi-sheng
XS
Peng
Ji-run
JR
Mu
Dong-cheng
DC
Wang
Yu
Y
Zhu
Ji-ye
JY
Du
Ru-yu
RY
Chen
Wei-feng
WF
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; C405429:MAGEC2 protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger