Overexpression of sterol carrier protein-2 mRNA in patients with cholesterol gallstones.
BACKGROUND
Hypersecretion of biliary cholesterol is believed to be one of the important causes of lithogenic bile. Sterol carrier protein-2(SCP2) participates in cholesterol trafficking and metabolism and may play a key role in cholesterol gallstone formation. This study was undertaken to investigate the expression of liver SCP2 mRNA in patients with cholesterol gallstone and those patients with non-cholesterol gallstone.


METHODS
The expression of liver SCP2mRNA was studied in 36 patients with cholesterol gallstone and 30 patients with non-cholesterol gallstone by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
The expression of SCP2 mRNA was increased more significantly in patients with cholesterol gallstone than in patients with non-cholesterol gallstone.


CONCLUSIONS
The SCP2 gene was overexpressed in patients with cholesterol gallstone, indicating that SCP2 may be one of the important causes of cholesterol gallstone.
Cui
Nai-Qiang
NQ
Department of Surgery, Tianjin Nankai Hospital, Tianjin 300100, China. yunfengcuidoctor@yahoo.com.cn
Zhang
Shu-Kun
SK
Cui
Yun-Feng
YF
Li
Dong-Hua
DH
Chen
Chang
C
Wu
Xian-Zhong
XZ
D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D005819:Genetic Markers / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012016:Reference Values; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013261:Sterols / Q000378:metabolism
D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005819:Genetic Markers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013261:Sterols; D002784:Cholesterol