Imbalance in expression levels of insulin-like growth factor 2 and H19 transcripts linked to progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The imprinted genes insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and H19 play important roles in various malignancies including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
We used DNA microarray and patient follow-up data to examine the relationship between expression of IGF2 and H19 and HCC.


RESULTS
We found that imbalances in levels of IGF2 and H19 transcripts were correlated with advanced tumor stage and poor outcome in HCC patients.


CONCLUSIONS
In addition to their known epigenetic or genetic abnormality in malignancies, these findings suggest that altered transcription of these two imprinted genes contributes to progression of HCC.
Iizuka
Norio
N
Department of Surgery II, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minami-Kogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi 755-8505, Japan.
Oka
Masaaki
M
Tamesa
Takao
T
Hamamoto
Yoshihiko
Y
Yamada-Okabe
Hisafumi
H
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D022661:RNA, Untranslated / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
C094335:H19 long non-coding RNA; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D022661:RNA, Untranslated; D007335:Insulin-Like Growth Factor II