[High expression of nucleophosmin/B23 in hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression of nucleophosmin/B23 (B23) in tumor cells of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its clinicopathologic significance.


METHODS
Mouse monoclonal antibodies against B23 were raised by recombinant protein and hybridoma technology. Immunohistochemical study for B23 was performed on 103 cases of HCC, 12 cases of focal nodular hyperplasia and 17 cases of native liver tissue adjacent to hepatic hemangioma. Fresh specimens from 10 cases of HCC and the adjacent liver tissue were also collected for reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis. The expression of B23 was analyzed and compared with that of proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in these specimens.


RESULTS
RT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that B23 expression in HCC was higher than that in adjacent liver tissue. Statistically significant difference in expressions of B23 and PCNA were also noted in the four groups studied (P < 0.01). B23 and PCNA expressions in HCC were higher than those in the other three groups (P < 0.01). There was also a statistically significant correlation between B23 and PCNA expressions amongst the four groups (r = 0.4769, P < 0.01). Besides, B23 expression in HCC correlated with pathologic tumor grading, serum alpha-fetal protein levels and cirrhotic status (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
B23 expression in HCC was significantly higher than that in liver tissues with non-malignant diseases. B23 may be used as a marker for neoplastic changes in liver cells and thus has potential clinicopathologic application.
Tian
Qiu-hong
QH
National Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China and Department of Pathology, Cancer Center of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510060, China.
Yun
Jing-ping
JP
Miao
Ji
J
Chen
Gong
G
Fu
Jia
J
Zhang
Chang-qing
CQ
Su
Shu-guang
SG
Zhang
Mei-fang
MF
Wu
Qiu-liang
QL
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D020518:Focal Nodular Hyperplasia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000090243:Nucleophosmin; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C000716967:NPM1 protein, human; C000715570:Npm1 protein, mouse; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000090243:Nucleophosmin