The influence of plectin deficiency on stability of cytokeratin18 in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Intermediate filaments are important in building the cellular architecture. Previously we found cytokeratin18 was modulated in human hepatocellular carcinoma. Plectin is a cross-linking protein that organizes the cytoskeleton into a stable meshwork, which can maintain the uniform size and shape of hepatocytes. Because the cells of hepatocellular carcinoma were morphologically different from the hepatocytes, we speculated that expression of plectin and organization of intermediate filament might play roles in the pleomorphism of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In this paper, we studied the plectin expression of hepatocellular carcinoma and liver tissues by immunohistochemistry and immunoblot. The results revealed that plectin was deficient and cytokeratin18 was modulated in hepatocellular carcinoma. Furthermore, we knockdown the plectin mRNA in Chang cells, the result revealed the plectin was deficient and the organization of cytokeratin18 was altered. Conclusively, this study offers a hypothesis that plectin deficient might play an important role in the tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Institute of Medicine of Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Chiung-Chi
CC
Cheng
Yi-Hsiang
YH
Liu
Chin-Chin
CC
Ho
Wei-Ting
WT
Chao
Ren-Jeng
RJ
Pei
Yung-Hsiang
YH
Hsu
Kun-Tu
KT
Yeh
Lu-Chang
LC
Ho
Ming-Chuang
MC
Tsai
Yih-Shyong
YS
Lai
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053538:Keratin-18 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051190:Plectin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000172:deficiency* / Q000378:metabolism*
D053538:Keratin-18; D051190:Plectin