肝素酶表达鉴别良、恶性腹水无价值

Expression of heparanase mRNA is not a good predictive marker in differential diagnosis of ascites

AIM: To investigate the expression of human heparanase in the peritoneal membrane autopsy specimen and the exfoliative cells of ascites, and to assess its value in the differential diagnosis of malignant and benign ascites. METHODS: Expression of heparanase mRNA in ascites was detected by RT-PCR in forty-seven patients. Heparanase protein expression in 37 biopsies of peritoneum was detected by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: There was no difference in the expression of heparanase mRNA between benign and malignant ascites (P>0.05). Heparanase protein was expressed not only in tumor cells, but also in activated lymphocytes, epithelioid cells, and Langhans giant cells in tuberculosis peritonitis, as well as the heterotopic endometrium and interstitial cells in endometriosis. In those 36 cases detected by immunohistochemistry, no significant difference was found between benign and malignant ascites (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: High expression of heparanase mRNA in some benign ascites may be due to the increase of inflammatoty cells in the peritoneum. Expression of heparanase mRNA in sedimentation of ascites is not a good predictive marker for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant ascites.