Expression and significance of RhoC gene in hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of RhoC gene in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to evaluate the relationship between RhoC gene expression and invasion and metastasis of HCC.


METHODS
mRNA expression level of RhoC gene was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 25 cases of HCC and para-cancerous normal liver tissues. In addition, mutation of RhoC gene was examined by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP).


RESULTS
The mRNA expression levels of RhoC in tumor tissues were significantly higher than those in para-cancerous normal liver tissues (1.8+/-1.1 vs 1.0+/-0.7, P<0.01). The metastatic lesions outside of liver also showed significantly higher RhoC mRNA levels than corresponding tumor tissues in liver (3.3+/-0.5 vs 2.0+/-0.7, P<0.01). There were significant associations between RhoC gene expression and certain clinical and pathological findings, including cell differentiation, vein invasion, number of tumor nodes and metastatic lesions. Mutation of RhoC gene was not found by PCR-SSCP.


CONCLUSIONS
The RhoC gene may be related to malignant transformation and development of HCC and may play an important role in the invasion and metastasis of HCC by overexpression but not mutation.
Wang
Wei
W
Department of General Surgery, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, Hunan Province, China.
Yang
Lian-Yue
LY
Yang
Zhi-Li
ZL
Huang
Gen-Wen
GW
Lu
Wei-Qun
WQ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis / Q000235:genetics; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000075024:rhoC GTP-Binding Protein
C066690:RHOC protein, human; D020741:rho GTP-Binding Proteins; D000075024:rhoC GTP-Binding Protein