[Expression and exon 3 mutation of beta-catenin in human hepatocellular carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
South Guangxi is an area with high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and with severe contamination of dietary aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). The activation of beta-Catenin is involved in many cancers. AFB1 may play a key role in hepatocarcinogenesis. This study was to explore the expression and mutation of beta-Catenin in HCC patients from the area with high exposure level of AFB1.


METHODS
The expression of beta-Catenin in 52 specimens of HCC and para-HCC tissues, and 18 specimens of non-cancerous liver tissues from South Guangxi were detected by direct sequencing, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, and Western blot.


RESULTS
No mutation in exon 3 of beta-Catenin gene was found in HCC tissues. The mRNA level of beta-Catenin was significantly higher in HCC tissues than in para-HCC tissues and non-cancerous tissues (0.42+/-0.24 vs. 0.20+/-0.16 and 0.23+/-0.12, P<0.01). The positive rate of beta-Catenin was significantly higher in HCC tissues than in para-HCC tissues (55.8% vs. 36.5%, P<0.05). The expression of beta-Catenin mRNA showed no significant correlation to clinicopathologic parameters of HCC (all P>0.05), while the expression of beta-Catenin protein was significantly correlated to metastasis, relapse, portal vein embolus, and clinical stage (all P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Beta-catenin is overexpressed in HCC, but its overexpression has no correlation to gene mutation at GSK-3beta phosphorylation sites in exon 3.
Jiao
Yang
Y
Department of Pharmacology, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, 530021, P. R. China.
Ban
Ke-Chen
KC
Cao
Ji
J
Yue
Hai-Ying
HY
Luo
Yuan
Y
Su
Jian-Jia
JJ
D001483:Base Sequence; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051176:beta Catenin; C000605506:GSK3B protein, human; D000071679:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta; D038362:Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3