人肝细胞癌金属蛋白酶组织抑制因子-3的表达及与其基因启动子甲基化的关系

目的 探讨肝细胞癌的发生和门脉浸润机制。方法 20例肝细胞癌患者,每例在手术后分别取原发瘤、门脉瘤栓及远离肝癌之肝组织。用Western印迹法检测金属蛋白酶组织抑制因子(TIMP)的蛋白表达,用逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)检测TIMP-3 mRNA的表达,用甲基化特异性PCR检测TIMP-3基因启动子的甲基化。结果 远离肝癌之肝组织中均可见TIMP-3蛋白和mRNA的表达,原发瘤和门脉瘤栓组织TIMP-3蛋白和mRNA表达明显降低,其中分别有5例和6例完全丢失。远离肝癌之肝组织均未发现TIMP-3启动子甲基化。原发瘤中有7例、门脉瘤栓组织中有9例出现甲基化。所有有甲基化的肝癌组织,包括原发瘤和门脉瘤栓,有13例TIMP-3 mRNA和蛋白表达完全丢失,6例表达降低。TIMP-3启动子甲基化和肝细胞癌组织学分级无关(P>0.05)。结论 肝细胞癌的发生和门脉浸润与TIMP-3基因和蛋白缺失或降低相关、而TIMP-3启动子甲基化是其基因和蛋白缺失或降低的原因。

Relationship between TIMP-3 expression and promoter methylation of TIMP-3 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective To investigate further the possible mechanism of carcinogenesis and portal invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ). Methods Samples of the primary tumors, cancer cells emboli in the portal veins and normal liver tissues adjacent to the tumor were collected from 20 cases of primary HCC. Expression of TIMP-3 (tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 ) protein was detected using Western blot. Expression of TIMP-3 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. Methylation of TIMP-3 gene promoter was detected using methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Results Expression of TIMP-3 protein and mRNA were obtained in all of the normal liver tissues adjacent to tumor. However, loss of TIMP-3 protein expression was found in 5 and 36 cases respectively in the primary tumors and tumor cell emboli in portal veins. Expression of TIMP-3 protein and mRNA in primary tumors and tumor emboli were significantly lower than that in the normal liver tissues. Promoter methylation of TIMP-3 gene could be detected in primary tumors (7 cases) and cancerous emboli (9 cases) in HCC, while no methylation found in normal liver tissues. In all the HCC cases with promoter gene methylation including primary tumors and cancerous emboli in portal veins, 13 cases showed complete loss and 6 cases showed low expression of TIMP-3 protein and mRNA. Promoter methylation of TIMP-3 was noticed not related with the histological grading of HCC. Conclusions There is a close relationship between loss or low expressions of TIMP-3 and carcinogenesis and portal invasion of HCC. The loss and low expression of TIMP-3 gene and protein were caused by methylation of the gene promoter.