[Expression of Twist gene in human hepatocellular carcinoma and its clinicopathological significance].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression and clinicopathological significance of transcription factor Twist in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), paraneoplastic and cirrhotic tissues.


METHODS
Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the Twist protein in 26 cases of HCC and paraneoplastic tissue and 10 cases of cirrhotic tissue. Meanwhile, the Twist mRNA and its protein were detected in 10 HCC tissues and 10 paraneoplastic tissues by RT-PCR and Western blot. And the expression differences and clinicopathological significances of the expression of Twist gene and its protein were analyzed.


RESULTS
The positive rates of the Twist protein in HCC, paraneoplastic and cirrhotic tissues were 84.6%, 19.2 % and 20.0 %, respectively. The positive rate of Twist in HCC was higher than that in paraneoplastic or cirrhosis tissues (P < 0.05). Compared with in paraneoplastic tissues, the mRNA and protein expression of Twist were up-regulated in HCC by 2.52 and 2.13 times, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Twist has an inappropriate expression in hepatocellular carcinoma and it may play an important role in the tumorigenesis and progression of HCC.
Li
Chang-hai
CH
Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery Center, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China. lichvip@126.com
Chen
Xiao-ping
XP
Xu
Zong-quan
ZQ
Li
Gao-peng
GP
Guan
Jian
J
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C103173:TWIST1 protein, human; D051879:Twist-Related Protein 1