title: Claudin-7 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The importance of adhesion molecules for local invasion by neoplastic cells and development of metastasis has been confirmed by numerous studies over the past decade. Claudins are integral parts of tight junctions. The aim of the present study was to examine the significance of the expression of claudin-7 messenger RNA (mRNA) as a prognostic factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined liver tumor and nontumor tissues from 20 HCC patients who underwent resection or liver transplantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in the expression of claudin-7 was observed in tumor versus nontumor tissues. There was no significant correlation between the expression profile of claudin-7 mRNA and patient demographic data, the presence of cirrhosis, or the histological stage of tumor differentiation or vascular invasion. Survival analysis showed a trend toward a better prognosis among patients with overexpression of claudin-7 in tumor tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Transplantation Surgery, University Hospital Essen, Essen, Germany. eirini.brokalaki@uk-essen.de
authors.forename: E I
authors.initials: EI
authors.lastname: Brokalaki
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Sotiropoulos
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Daoudaki
authors.forename: V R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Cicinnati
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beckebaum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D057167:Claudins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C473255:CLDN7 protein, human; D057167:Claudins; D012333:RNA, Messenger