E-cadherin的表达与肝细胞癌侵袭和转移的关系

目的研究上皮性钙黏蛋白（E-cadherin）在人肝细胞癌（HCC）中的表达情况，探讨其与肝癌的相关性。方法选择56例有完整随访资料的肝细胞癌及相应癌旁组织标本、20例正常肝组织标本，用RT-PCR方法检测E-cadherinmRNA的表达；用免疫组织化学方法检测E-cadherin的表达。结果①E-cadherin在肝细胞癌组织中的表达显著低于癌旁组织和正常组织（P〈0．05），而在癌旁组织和正常组织中的表达无差异；②E-cadherin在肝癌组织中的表达与术后复发时间呈正相关（P〈0．05），与病理分期呈负相关（P〈0．05）；③癌组织中E-cadherin表达与肝外转移呈负相关（P〈0．05）；④癌旁组织中E-cadherin表达与术后复发时间呈正相关（P〈0．05）。结论E-cadherin表达缺失或下调与肝癌的分化程度、侵袭转移能力和复发倾向相关，对肝癌临床转归的评估有一定指导意义。

Relationship between expression of E-cadherin and invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective To investigate expression of Ecadherin in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and discuss their pertinence.Methods RT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis technology were used to detect E-cadherin mRNA expression and E-cadherin protein expression respectively in 56 paired HCC and non-HCC liver tissue samples and 20 normal liver tissue samples.Results 1.The level of E-cadherin expression in HCC was significantly lower than that in adjacent non-HCC liver tissue and in normal liver tissue(P<0.05);but no difference was seen between adjacent non-HCC liver tissue and normal liver tissue;2.E-cadherin expression in HCC had a positive correlation with recurrence after surgical treatment(P<0.05) and an inverse correlation with pathological grade(P<0.05);3.There was an inverse correlation between E-cadherin expression in HCC and extrahepatic metastasis(P<0.05);4.Significant positive correlations were found among E-cadherin expression in adjacent non-HCC liver tissue and extrahepatic metastasis(P<0.05).Conclusion Loss and downregulation of E-cadherin have an correlation with degree of tumor differentiation,capability of invasion and metastasis and tendency of recurrence,which may have some instructive significance for the assessment of outcome of HCC.