Possible relation between histone 3 and cytokeratin 18 in human hepatocellular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Previously we found some low molecular weight proteins identified as histone in hepatocelluar carcinoma. Our objective was to clarify whether the coimmunoprecipitation of histone and cytokeratin 18 was an artifact or not.


METHODS
Histone 3 and cytokeratin 18 were investigated in three cases of human hepatocellular carcinoma and one case of normal liver tissue. Nuclei of the tissues were isolated; the proteins inside the nuclei were analyzed by Western blot.


RESULTS
The results revealed histone was co-immunoprecipitated with cytokeratin 18 in hepatocellular carcinoma. It was speculated that modulation of the cytoskeleton in human hepatocellular carcinoma might disturb the organization of the nucleoskeleton. The unstable nucleoskeleton might further cause instability and fragility of nuclei, thus possibly exposing the histone and co-immunoprecipitating it with cytokeratin 18.


CONCLUSIONS
The evidence might indicate that expression of histone 3 was highly related to modulation of cytokeratin 18 and might play an important role in tumorigenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Ho
Chin-Chin
CC
Department of Nursing, Central Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Cheng
Chiung-Chi
CC
Liu
Yi-Hsiang
YH
Pei
Ren-Jeng
RJ
Hsu
Yung-Hsiang
YH
Yeh
Kun-Tu
KT
Ho
Lu-Chang
LC
Tsai
Ming-Chuang
MC
Lai
Yih-Shyong
YS
D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002843:Chromatin / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006657:Histones / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D047468:Immunoprecipitation; D053538:Keratin-18 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
D002843:Chromatin; D006657:Histones; D053538:Keratin-18; D007633:Keratins