Survivin gene expression in chronic liver disease and hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Survivin is an oncofetal protein involved both in cell death and cell cycle regulation. Survivin is undetectable or found at very low levels in normal differentiated tissues whereas increased expression has been observed in several human malignancies, including lung, colon and liver cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic and clinical significance of Survivin expression in hepatocellular carcinoma and non-neoplastic liver tissues in a series of surgical patients.


METHODS
Survivin mRNA levels were quantitated by real time RT-PCR in 25 patients.


RESULTS
Survivin mRNA was documented in all liver tissues with significantly higher levels in neoplastic specimens (p=0.01). In non-neoplastic liver tissue, Survivin levels were correlated with activity score of chronic liver disease. Increased Survivin levels were correlated with high tumor grade (p=0.05) and vascular invasion (p= 0.005). Tumor recurrences were more frequent in patients with high Survivin levels, although the difference did not reach statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Low levels of Survivin mRNA are present in normal and in non-neoplastic liver tissue. In hepatocellular carcinomas, high levels of Survivin are associated with aggressive tumor features. The prognostic significance of quantitative Survivin evaluation requires further studies.
Montorsi
Marco
M
3rd Division of General Surgery, University of Milan School of Medicine, Istituto Clinico Humanitas IRCCS Rozzano, Milan.
Maggioni
Marco
M
Falleni
Monica
M
Pellegrini
Caterina
C
Donadon
Matteo
M
Torzilli
Guido
G
Santambrogio
Roberto
R
Spinelli
Antonino
A
Coggi
Guido
G
Bosari
Silvano
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077022:Survivin
C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000077022:Survivin