Nested RT-PCR in detection of blood AFPmRNA in animal model of human hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To detect blood AFPmRNA in the nude mice bearing with human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by using nested reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (nested RT-PCR), and assess its significance in HCC distant metastasis.


METHODS
We detected 20 blood samples from the nude mice bearing with human HCC by nested RT-PCR to find out AFPmRNA.


RESULTS
AFPmRNA was detected in 6 blood samples from the nude mice bearing with human HCC (30.0%), in which 4 mice developed distant metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
AFPmRNA may be used as an efficient and sensitive marker to detect blood spread of HCC cells. It can predict the occurrence of HCC distant metastasis.
Hospital of Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China. liuyang@smmu.edu.cn
Yang
Y
Liu
Meng-Chao
MC
Wu
Guang-Xiang
GX
Qian
Bai-He
BH
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000097:blood / Q000556:secondary*; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins