GPC3 mRNA and AFP mRNA expressions in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues

    LI Baoª²Ding,ZHAO Qingª²Chuan,ZHANG Fuª²Qin,DOU Keª²Feng

    Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery,Xijing Hospital,Fourth Military Medical University,Xi¬ðan 710033,China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿AIM: To investigate the expressions of glypicanª²3(GPC3) mRNA and alphaª²fetoprotein(AFP) mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) tissues and to explore their value in the diagnosis of HCC.METHODS: Using semiª²quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(RTª²PCR),we detected the expressions of the above two genes in the tissues of 41 HCC,15 nonª²HCC tumor samples and 11 normal liver samples from the patients.RESULTS: The relative intensities of GPC3 mRNA expression in HCC,paracancerous,nonª²HCC tumor with that of normal liver and the tissues far from HCC were 78ª±9¡À35ª±5,30ª±6¡À21ª±6,36ª±6¡À25ª±2 and 23ª±8¡À15ª±5;and the relative AFP mRNA expression values were 61ª±2¡À32ª±6,31ª±5¡À23ª±6,29ª±0¡À24ª±7 and 21ª±2¡À15ª±9 respectively .Each gene¬ðs expression differed significantly in HCC and in other three kinds of tissues(P<0ª±01).The expressions of GPC3 mRNA and AFP mRNA,accounting for 80ª±5 % and 63ª±4 % in all the HCC tissues,were higher than their respective peak values in the tissues far from HCC and normal liver(x+1ª±96s),but the expressions of at least one of the two genes was elevated in 92ª±7 % of all the HCC tissues.Clinicopathologically,AFP mRNA was related with the grade of HCC and serum AFP,while GPC3 mRNA was related not only to the grade of HCC but also to the invasion of HCC.Correlation analysis did not find any significant relationship between the two genes in HCC(r=-0ª±145,P=0ª±365).CONCLUSION: GPC3 mRNA may be a potential biomarker for HCC.Detecting the expressions of the two genes will improve the screening and diagnosis of HCC. ......