title: [Immunohistochemical detection of p21ras, c-myc and p53 oncoproteins in hepatocellular carcinoma and in non-neoplastic liver tissue].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Genetic and epigenetic alterations have been described in animal hepatocarcinogenesis models but need to be studied in human being.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the immunoreactivity of p21ras, c-myc and p53 oncoproteins in hepatocellular carcinoma and non neoplastic tissue. Association of the immunoreactivity of these markers with histological grades and patterns, hepatitis B and C were additionally studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Detection of oncoproteins p21ras, c-myc and p53 was performed immunohistochemically in hepatocellular carcinoma (47 cases) and surrounding non neoplastic liver tissue (40 cases).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Oncoproteins p21ras, c-myc and p53 were detected in 44,7%, 53,2% and 36,2% of the hepatocellular carcinoma cases, respectively. The p21ras and c-myc immunoreactivity has shown a significant association. However there was no association of p21ras, c-myc and p53 detection with hepatitis B and C virus infections, histological grades and patterns. The same significant association between p21ras and c-myc was observed in non-neoplastic tissue with cirrhosis when compared with tissue without it. The p53 immunoreactivity was negative in all non-neoplastic liver tissue samples.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The immunoreactivity detection of p21ras, c-myc and p53 corroborates previous evidence of their detection in hepatocellular carcinoma that suggest the participation of these proteins in human hepatocarcinogenesis. The significant association between p21ras and c-myc oncoproteins in hepatocellular carcinoma and in cirrhosis can point to an interaction between them mainly, in hepatocarcinogenesis that occurs through cirrhosis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. pannain@hucff.ufrj.br
authors.forename: Vera Lucia Nunes
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Pannain
authors.forename: Adriana Caroli
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bottino
authors.forename: Raimunda Telma M
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Henrique Sérgio M
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Joaquim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ribeiro-Filho
authors.forename: Venâncio A F
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000737:chemistry*; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000378:metabolism; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000032:analysis*; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / Q000032:analysis*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C501009:HRAS protein, human; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)