title: Increased expression of survivin in hepatoblastoma after chemotherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis, has been reported to be associated with a worse prognosis in some malignancies. However, its expression in hepatoblastoma (HB) remains to be elucidated. We assessed the survivin expression in HB specimens collected before and after chemotherapy to elucidate the impact of survivin on the outcome of HB therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  HB specimens were collected before and after 2 to 4 cycles of cisplatin-based chemotherapy from 16 patients. The survivin expression level was assessed by immunohistochemical staining and real-time polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 16, 12 HB sections collected before chemotherapy were positive for survivin as determined by immunohistochemical staining. The intensity of survivin expression was found to significantly increase after chemotherapy. Surprisingly, all of the HB specimens obtained after chemotherapy were positive for survivin. The expression of survivin messenger ribonucleic acid from a human HB cell line, Huh-6 was significantly higher when the cells were cultured with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) than when the cells were cultured without the drug.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that most of the primary HB tissue specimens express survivin, and its expression increased after chemotherapy, thus suggesting that survivin may concern with the survival of tumor cells, therefore be a candidate for the target of the treatment of HB.
authors: Department of Pediatric Surgery, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
authors: Shuichiro
authors: S
authors: Uehara
authors: Takaharu
authors: T
authors: Oue
authors: Miyoko
authors: M
authors: Kawatsu
authors: Keigo
authors: K
authors: Nara
authors: Masahiro
authors: M
authors: Fukuzawa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects*; D018197:Hepatoblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020360:Neoadjuvant Therapy; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077022:Survivin; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D000077022:Survivin; D002945:Cisplatin