肝细胞癌发生中丙型肝炎病毒NS3蛋白对诱导型一氧化氮合酶表达的影响

Effect of hepatitis C virus NS3 protein on expression of iNOS mRNA in hepatocarcinogenesis]

OBJECTIVE: To investigate hepatocarcinogenesis by detecting the effect of HCV NS3 protein on expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pericarcinomatous liver tissues(PCLT). METHODS: The expression of HCV NS3 protein and iNOSmRNA was detected by immunohistochemical technique (SP method) and in situ hybridization in specimens of HCC and PCLT from 52 patients with HBV(-). The relationship between the positive rate and the signal strength was tested statistically. RESULTS: The positive rate of HCV NS3 protein in HCC was lower (46.2% vs. 67.3%), and signal strength was weaker than those in PCLT. The signal strength of HCV NS3 protein was correlated with the degree of carcinomatous cells differentiation in HCC (P < 0.01). The positive rates (80.8% and 90.4%) of iNOSmRNA in HCC and PCLT had no statistical difference. Signal intensity of iNOSmRNA in HCC was weaker than that in PCLT. The higher HCVNS3 protein expression level was, the stronger iNOSmRNA signals in PCLT (P < 0.01). In particular, the localization and patterns of HCV NS3 protein were much similar to those of iNOSmRNA in the PCLT of some patients. CONCLUSIONS: HCV NS3 protein may exert its hepatocarcinogenic effect in the early stage on host cells by increasing product of nitric oxide, which may bring about transformation of hepatocytes.