[Expression of liver-type fatty acid-binding protein and vascular endothelial growth factor and their correlation in human hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To detect the expression of liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its adjacent liver tissues, and investigate the correlation between the expressions of L-FABP and VEGF and their role in the occurrence and progression of HCC.


METHODS
Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining were employed to examine the expression of L-FABP and VEGF in HCC and its adjacent liver tissues obtained from the surgical specimens of 61 HCC patients who underwent liver resections in West China hospital.


RESULTS
The results of RT-PCR showed that the expression level of L-FABP and VEGF in HCC was significantly higher than that in its adjacent liver tissues (L-FABP: 0.97-/+0.12, 0.83-/+0.14, t=5.21, P<0.05; VEGF: 0.92-/+0.11, 0.59-/+0.15, t=11.79, P<0.05). L-FABP tended to co-express with VEGF (P<0.05). IHC staining revealed that the expression of L-FABP and VEGF was mainly located in the cytoplasm, and the gray scale of L-FABP expression was significantly higher than that in the adjacent liver tissues (92.73-/+7.67, 82.83-/+6.90, t=7.44, P<0.05). The number of L-FABP- and VEGF-positive cells in HCC was significantly lower than that in the adjacent liver tissues (L-FABP: 92.18-/+4.44, 84.52-/+6.43, t=5.94, P<0.05; VEGF: 88.69-/+5.56, 77.64-/+5.93, t=8.72, P<0.05). Co-expression of L-FABP and VEGF observed in RT-PCR and also in IHC (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Both L-FABP and VEGF expressions are up-regulated in HCC. L-FABP gene may be involved in the carcinogenesis of human HCC. Expression of L-FABP is associated with VEGF expression, suggesting that L-FABP promotes the growth of blood vessels by taking up the fatty acids from the bloodstream, and both of them produce a marked effect on energy metabolism in HCC.
Dong
Li-hua
LH
Department of Anatomy, School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Chengdu, China. donglihua11@163.com
Li
Hua
H
Wang
Fan
F
Li
Fu-qiang
FQ
Zhou
Hong-ying
HY
Yang
Hui-jun
HJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015153:Blotting, Western; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
C493319:FABP1 protein, human; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A