title: Up-regulation of glypican-3 in human hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression and significance of glypican-3 (GPC3) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA chips were used to measure the expression of mRNAs for members of the glypican and syndecan families of heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) in normal liver tissue, non-tumor tissues and HCC. GPC3 protein expression was investigated by immunohistochemical staining in the tissues samples and Western blotting in human HCC cell lines. In addition, the levels of GPC3 protein in the blood were determined by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only the expression of GPC3 was found to be markedly elevated in HCCs. In the human HCC cell lines, GPC3 expression was consistently observed, and was mainly located in the cell membrane and cytoplasm. Immunohistochemistry showed a tendency for overall staining of the cytoplasm of cells in the liver carcinoma tissues, but the cell membrane was preferentially stained in poorly differentiated HCC when compared with well-differentiated HCC. Moreover, the cell membrane was preferentially stained in metastatic lesions of HCC when compared with primary HCC lesions. Non-tumor tissues and cholangiocellular carcinoma tissues were not stained. In addition, using HepG2 cells, AG490 and piceatannol, which are signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) inhibitors, each increased the amount of GPC3 mRNA expressed. Assay of the circulating levels of GPC3 protein in chronic liver disease and HCC found that serum GPC3 protein levels were significantly elevated in the latter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GPC3 is highly expressed in HCC, and its expression pattern differs according to the degree of cell differentiation. In addition, the expression of GPC3 is regulated by Janus kinase-STAT signaling. GPC3 shows potential as a tumor biomarker for HCC that can be used for molecularly targeted therapy.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Internal Medicine, Mie University School of Medicine, 2-174 Edobashi, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Kazushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimoto
authors.forename: Junichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Masahiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tameda
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kusagawa
authors.forename: Keiichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nojiri
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beppu
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoneda
authors.forename: Norihiko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Misao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoneda
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uchida
authors.forename: Koujiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takase
authors.forename: Katsuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shiraki
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D053673:Glypicans / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053612:Janus Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D053667:Syndecans / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: C105937:GPC3 protein, human; D053673:Glypicans; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; C494086:STAT3 protein, human; D053667:Syndecans; D053612:Janus Kinases