title: Molecular evaluation of apoptotic versus antiapoptotic angiogenic markers in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the role of HO-1 in HCC progression and to study the expression of apoptotic factors represented by TNF-alpha, and Fas-L versus antiapoptotic and angiogenic factors represented by HO-1, TGF-beta, HGF, and VEGF in HCC compared to non cancerous cirrhotic liver.
  
  
  METHODS
  Liver biopsies were taken from twelve patients with grade II HCC confined to the liver and twelve patients with non cancerous liver cirrhosis (served as control). RT-PCR of previous genes was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HO-1, VEGF, HGF, and TNF-alpha genes were significantly increased (P<0.05) in HCC compared to control. Fas-L showed a significant decrease (P<0.05) in HCC compared to control. TGF-beta was higher in HCC than control but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). HGF showed significant positive correlation with HO-1 (r=0.8217, P=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HCC is associated with increased expression of VEGF, HGF, and TGF-beta, and with suppression of Fas-L. In addition, HO-1 is highly significantly expressed in HCC. The significant positive correlation between HO-1 and HGF was first reported in Egyptian human liver biopsies, and this suggests that it may play a role in the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Medical Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Abdel Aziz
authors.forename: Dawlat
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: El-Miligy
authors.forename: Mona A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Amin
authors.forename: Amina
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El Ansari
authors.forename: Hanan H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: Samer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marzouk
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sabry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D042501:Angiogenic Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001706:Biopsy; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D042501:Angiogenic Proteins; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; D012313:RNA; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1