title: [Expressions of h-TERT, c-myc, PCNA and cell apoptosis in liver carcinogenesis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expressions of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (h-TERT), c-myc, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in chronic viral hepatitis (CVH), liver cirrhosis and primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and understand their possible role in liver carcinogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Totally 157 liver disease specimens were collected, including 56 CVH, 52 liver cirrhosis and 49 primary HCC specimens. In situ hybridization was performed on these specimens to examine the expressions of h-TRET and c-myc mRNA, and immunohistochemistry carried out for PCNA detection, with the cell apoptosis detected with in situ ending labeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the CVH, liver cirrhosis and primary HCC specimens, h-TERT expression was detected at the frequencies of 11/56 (19.6%), 43/52 (82.7%) and 44/47 (93.6%), c-myc expression at 7/56 (12.5%), 21/52 (40.4%) and 26/47 (55.3%), with apoptotic index of (27.3-/+4.7)%, (16.5-/+2.6)% and (8.7-/+1.3)% and PCNA expression rate of (17.1-/+2.9)%, (49.3-/+7.8)% and (62.5-/+9.1)%, respectively. Correlations among h-TERT, c-myc, and PCNA expressions and the apoptotic index were not found in the examined tissues (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Liver carcinogenesis may involve increased h-TERT, c-myc, and PCNA expressions and suppressed cell apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Central Peoples' Hospital of Huizhou City, Huizhou 516001, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-mei
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Qing-xu
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chun-kui
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Zhi-ying
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017209:Apoptosis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D005260:Female; D019694:Hepatitis B, Chronic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase