Expression of c-myc mRNA in hepatocellular carcinomas, noncancerous livers, and normal livers.
OBJECTIVE
c-myc is a transcription factor that regulates cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, little is known about the clinical importance of c-myc mRNA expression in a primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In this study, we investigated whether a correlation existed between the level of c-myc mRNA expression and the occurrence of apoptosis or proliferative activity in an HCC.


METHODS
The levels of c-myc mRNA expression were quantified by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and compared with immunohistochemical detection of the occurrence of spontaneous apoptosis and proliferative activity of cancer cells in 59 surgically resected HCCs.


RESULTS
The mean level of c-myc mRNA expression in 59 HCCs (1.19) was significantly suppressed compared with that in 59 noncancerous liver tissues (1.44, p<0.0001). The level of c-myc mRNA expression was not correlated with tumor differentiation, tumor progression, proliferative activity of cancer cells, or patient survival. However, there was a significant positive correlation between the levels of c-myc mRNA expression and the occurrence of apoptosis in 59 HCCs (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Inhibition of c-myc mRNA expression may obstruct the induction of apoptosis of HCC cells and lead to uncontrolled cell growth.
Ikeguchi
Masahide
M
Division of Operating Room, Faculty of Medicine, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan. masaike@grape.med.tottori-u.ac.jp
Hirooka
Yasuaki
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D002455:Cell Division; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016259:Genes, myc; D006525:Hepatitis, Viral, Human / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm