Abstract

Background/Aims: To investigate Omi/HtrA2 expression and its clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma. Methodology: We analyzed Omi/HtrA2 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma, paracancerous tissues and normal hepatic tissues by immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and Western blot. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) expression was also detected in hepatocellular carcinoma samples by immunohistochemistry. Meanwhile, we retrospectively analyzed the relationship between Omi/HtrA2 expression and the survival times of the patients.
Results: We found that Omi/HtrA2 over-expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma and was correlated with hepatocellular carcinoma differentiation, tumor size, portal vein invasion, clinical stage and lymph node metastasis. We also observed a significant inverse correlation between the expression of Omi/HtrA2 and HIF-1α in hepatocellular carcinoma. The Kaplan-Meier estimates showed that patients who were Omi/HtrA2 positive had much longer survival times than those who were Omi/HtrA2 negative. Both univariate and multivariate analysis using the Cox regression model indicated that Omi/HtrA2 expression was a significant factor for prognosis.
Conclusions: Hepatocellular carcinoma cells may need Omi/HtrA2 expression for apoptosis and Omi/HtrA2 might be an important prognostic marker for primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

Authors

Xu Z, Chen X, Peng C, Liu E, Li Y, Li C, Niu J

Source

Hepato-gastroenterology 60:121 2012 Jul 25 pg

Pub Type(s)

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Language

ENG

PubMed ID

22829556