title: [Gli1 expression and its  relationship  with the expression of Shh, Vimentin and E-cadherin in human hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression and clinical features of glima-associated oncogene 1(Gli1) and its correlation with the expression of sonic hedgehog(Shh), one of the ligands of hedgehog (Hh) signaling,  and two epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers,  Vimentin and E-cadherin in human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Paired HCC and normal tumor-adjacent tissues were collected from 63 HCC patients. Gli1 expression at both the protein and mRNA level were examined by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. The protein expression of Shh,  Vimentin and E-cadherin were evaluated by immunohistochemistry to identify correlations with Gli1.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The protein and mRNA expression of Gli1 were significantly up-regulated in the HCC tumor tissues compared to the normal tumor-adjacent tissues. Gli1 protein expression in HCC was closely correlated with intrahepatic metastases (x(2);=6.205,  P<0.05),  portal vein invasion (x(2);=4.014,  P<0.05),  high Edmonson-Steiner classification (x(2);=19.668,  P<0.05) and advanced TNM stage (x(2);=7.091,  P<0.05). Gli1 protein expression was positively correlated with Shh (r=0.574,  P<0.05) and Vimentin(r=0.467,  P<0.05),  and negatively correlated with E-cadherin (r=-0.439,  P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gli1 is up-regulated in HCC tissues and closely correlated with clinicopathological characteristics, the increased expression of Gli1 in HCC tissues may be attributed to Shh, and Gli1 may play an important role in HCC progression and metastasis by inducing EMT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Qiu-ran
authors.initials: QR
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Xian-feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zan
authors.forename: Ying-min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Qing-guang
authors.initials: QG
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000502:physiology; D014746:Vimentin / Q000032:analysis*; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; C400551:GLI1 protein, human; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; C509239:SHH protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014746:Vimentin; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1