title: Peritumoral ductular reaction is related to nuclear translocation of β-catenin in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Increased peritumoral ductular reaction (DR) is related to poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) but the mechanism is unclear. Nuclear translocation of β-catenin is correlated with HCC metastasis and recurrence. Thus, we aim to explore whether there is a relationship between peritumoral DR and tumoral nuclear translocation of β-catenin in HCC. Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC patients (n=120) were enrolled into this study from January 2003 to December 2007. Clinicopathological variables were collected and immunohistochemistry staining for cytokeratin 19 (CK19), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), β-catenin, phosphorylated-Smad2 (PSmad2) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) were performed in tumor and/or peritumor liver tissues. Peritumoral DR is significantly correlated with local inflammation (P<0.001), fibrosis (P<0.001), tumor size (P=0.006) and CK19 expression in the tumor (P=0.005). More patients with peritumoral DR had nuclear accumulation of β-catenin than patients with mild peritumoral DR (37.50% vs. 14. 58%, P=0.011). HCCs in the obvious DR group had stronger expression of PSmad2 than that in the mild DR group, and patients with nuclear translocation of β-catenin also had higher PSmad2 expression. In conclusion, increased peritumoral DR is related to tumoral nuclear translocation of β-catenin in HCC and enhanced action of TGF-β1 signaling may be involved in this relationship.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 200080 Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiaobo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongshan Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 200080 Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: QingQing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 200080 Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Mingyi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 200080 Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 200080 Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xinjian
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wan
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, 200438 Shanghai, China. Electronic address: Gaocf1115@163.com.
authors.forename: Chunfang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, 200080 Shanghai, China. Electronic address: Lungenlu1965@163.com.
authors.forename: Lungen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010766:Phosphorylation; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D051899:Smad2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C497782:SMAD2 protein, human; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D051176:beta Catenin
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Peritumoral ductular reaction; β-Catenin