Role of osteopontin and CD44s expression for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing liver transplantation or resection.
BACKGROUND
Detection of new biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is needed to estimate prognosis after liver transplantation (OLT) or hepatic resection. Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted, calcium-binding, phosphorylated, acidic glycoprotein that is overexpressed in various cancers. Cluster differentiation 44 standard isoform (CD44s) is one of the primary receptors of OPN; it may contribute to metastatic tumor spread.


METHODS
Tumor tissue and surrounding hepatic parenchyma were obtained from 53 HCC patients who underwent liver resection. Their RNA was extracted from nitrogen-frozen tissues, and OPN mRNA levels were estimated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues were obtained from the same patients, and additionally from 60 OLT HCC patients to perform expression analysis for OPN and CD44s by standard avidin-biotin immunostaining methods.


RESULTS
Expression of OPN and CD44s was significantly higher among HCC compared with adjacent nontumor tissue. The OPN mRNA expression and protein abundance correlated positively; OPN overexpression was associated with high tumor grade. A positive correlation existed between OPN and CD44s expression; both proteins were significantly overexpressed in HCC lesions with positive lymph nodes. No significant correlation existed between patient survival and OPN and CD44s expression.


CONCLUSIONS
Expression of both OPN and CD44s in HCC is associated with advanced tumor stage, thus possibly contributing prognostic information when evaluated together with classical clinicopathological parameters.
Beckebaum
S
S
Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of General, Visceral, and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg, Essen, Germany. susanne.beckebaum@uni-due.de
Chen
X
X
Sotiropoulos
G C
GC
Radtke
A
A
Daoudaki
M
M
Baba
H A
HA
Wohlschlaeger
J
J
Broelsch
C E
CE
Gerken
G
G
Cicinnati
V R
VR
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000235:genetics*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000601:surgery*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D055815:Young Adult
D015703:Antigens, CD; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D053495:Osteopontin