AIM: One of the characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Qidong area is the selective mutation resulting in a serine substitution at codon 249 of the p53 gene (1,20),and it has been identified as a 'ho...AIM: One of the characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Qidong area is the selective mutation resulting in a serine substitution at codon 249 of the p53 gene (1,20),and it has been identified as a 'hotspot' mutation in heptocellular carcinomas occurring in populations exposed to aflatoxin and with high prevalence of hepatitis B virus carriers (2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 24). We evaluated in this paper whether this 'hotspot' mutation could be detected in cellfree DNA circulating in plasma of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis in Qidong, China, and tried to illustrate the significance of the detection of this molecular biomarker.METHODS: We collected blood samples from 25hepatocellular carcinoma patients, 20 cirrhotic patients and 30 healthy controls in Qidong area. DNA was extracted and purified from 200 μl of plasma from each sample. The 249ser p53 mutation was detected by restriction digestion analysis and direct sequencing of exon-7 PCR products.RESULTS: We found in exon 7 of p53 gene G→T transversion at the third base of codon 249 resulting 249Arg→249ser mutation in 10/25 (40%) hepatocellular carcinoma cases,4/20 (20%) cirrhotics, and 2/30 (7 %) healthy controls.The adjusted odds ratio for having the mutation was 22.1(95 % CI, 3.2～91.7) for HCC cases compared to controls.CONCLUSION: These data show that the 249ser p53mutation in plasma is strongly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in Qidong patients. We found this mutation was also detected, although it was at a much lower frequency,in plasma DNA of Qidong cirrhotics and healthy controls;We consider that these findings, together with the usual method of HCC diagnosis, will give more information in early diagnosis of HCC, and 249ser p53 mutation should be developed to a new early diagnostic marker for HCC.展开更多
Objective:To explore the molecular basis of hepatocarcinogenesis by cloning and expressing a novel liver cancer apoptosis -related gene.Methods:With homologous screening and RT-PCR,we had cloned an apoptosis-related g...Objective:To explore the molecular basis of hepatocarcinogenesis by cloning and expressing a novel liver cancer apoptosis -related gene.Methods:With homologous screening and RT-PCR,we had cloned an apoptosis-related gene APG from liver cancer cells,compared its expression in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) tissue and paracarcinoma tissue,and analyzed its sequence from these tissues.The association of APG gene expression with HCC was investigated.Results:A new gene APG was cloned with a full-legth cDNA of 563 bp.Sequencing analysis showed heterogeneity of APG gene from hepatocarcinoma tissue and from paracarcinoma tissue.Among 50 cases of liver cancer,APG gene expressions were down-regulated in 42 cases（84%) ,while up-regulated in 8 cases(16%,P<0.01),Its expression was also found to be associated with tumor size(P<0.05),HbsAg level(P<0.01),degree of tumor differentiation(P<0.01),Ki-67 protein expression(P<0.05),p53 protein expression(P<0.01) and apoptosis(P<0.05),There is no association between the gene expression ,gender and AFP(P>0.05).Conclusion APG is an appoptosis-relate gene and down-regualted in HCC.Its expression is associated with many clinical and pathologic features of HCC,suggesting that APG gene is probably involved in the tumorigenesis of HCC.展开更多
文摘AIM: One of the characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Qidong area is the selective mutation resulting in a serine substitution at codon 249 of the p53 gene (1,20),and it has been identified as a 'hotspot' mutation in heptocellular carcinomas occurring in populations exposed to aflatoxin and with high prevalence of hepatitis B virus carriers (2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 24). We evaluated in this paper whether this 'hotspot' mutation could be detected in cellfree DNA circulating in plasma of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and cirrhosis in Qidong, China, and tried to illustrate the significance of the detection of this molecular biomarker.METHODS: We collected blood samples from 25hepatocellular carcinoma patients, 20 cirrhotic patients and 30 healthy controls in Qidong area. DNA was extracted and purified from 200 μl of plasma from each sample. The 249ser p53 mutation was detected by restriction digestion analysis and direct sequencing of exon-7 PCR products.RESULTS: We found in exon 7 of p53 gene G→T transversion at the third base of codon 249 resulting 249Arg→249ser mutation in 10/25 (40%) hepatocellular carcinoma cases,4/20 (20%) cirrhotics, and 2/30 (7 %) healthy controls.The adjusted odds ratio for having the mutation was 22.1(95 % CI, 3.2～91.7) for HCC cases compared to controls.CONCLUSION: These data show that the 249ser p53mutation in plasma is strongly associated with hepatocellular carcinoma in Qidong patients. We found this mutation was also detected, although it was at a much lower frequency,in plasma DNA of Qidong cirrhotics and healthy controls;We consider that these findings, together with the usual method of HCC diagnosis, will give more information in early diagnosis of HCC, and 249ser p53 mutation should be developed to a new early diagnostic marker for HCC.
文摘Objective:To explore the molecular basis of hepatocarcinogenesis by cloning and expressing a novel liver cancer apoptosis -related gene.Methods:With homologous screening and RT-PCR,we had cloned an apoptosis-related gene APG from liver cancer cells,compared its expression in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) tissue and paracarcinoma tissue,and analyzed its sequence from these tissues.The association of APG gene expression with HCC was investigated.Results:A new gene APG was cloned with a full-legth cDNA of 563 bp.Sequencing analysis showed heterogeneity of APG gene from hepatocarcinoma tissue and from paracarcinoma tissue.Among 50 cases of liver cancer,APG gene expressions were down-regulated in 42 cases（84%) ,while up-regulated in 8 cases(16%,P<0.01),Its expression was also found to be associated with tumor size(P<0.05),HbsAg level(P<0.01),degree of tumor differentiation(P<0.01),Ki-67 protein expression(P<0.05),p53 protein expression(P<0.01) and apoptosis(P<0.05),There is no association between the gene expression ,gender and AFP(P>0.05).Conclusion APG is an appoptosis-relate gene and down-regualted in HCC.Its expression is associated with many clinical and pathologic features of HCC,suggesting that APG gene is probably involved in the tumorigenesis of HCC.
