LGR5参与了肝癌上皮间质转化

目的 研究LGR5与原发性肝癌侵袭转移过程中上皮间质转化(EMT)间的关系。方法 采用免疫组织化学的方法(SP法)分别检测20例原发性肝癌组织、20例癌旁组织及14例正常肝组织中LGR5、E-钙粘蛋白(E-CAD)及N-钙粘蛋白(N-CAD)的表达情况。并分析它们与原发性肝癌临床病理参数的关系。结果 (1)LGR5、E-CAD、N-CAD的表达:在20例肝癌组织中,LGR5、E-钙粘蛋白、N-钙粘蛋白的阳性表达分别为15例(75%)、7例(35%)及16例(80%)。在20例癌旁组织中,阳性表达分别为11例(55%)、11例(55%)及10例(55%)。在14例正常肝组织中,阳性表达分别为例4(29%)、11例(79%)及4例(29%)。统计分析表明,LGR5在肝癌中的阳性表达率均明显高于癌旁及正常组织(Ρ0.05)。而E-钙粘蛋白在肝癌中的阳性表达率则明显低于癌旁及正常组织中的阳性表达(Ρ0.05)。同时,N-钙粘蛋白在肝癌中的阳性表达率明显高于癌旁及正常组织(Ρ0.05)。(2)LGR5、E-钙粘蛋白、N-钙粘蛋白在原发性肝癌中的表达与临床病例参数的关系:LGR5的表达与患者术前肝功能有关(Ρ0.05),而与患者的年龄、性别、肿瘤大小、肿瘤TNM分期、分级、HBV、肝硬化、甲胎蛋白等无关(Ρ0.05);E-CAD的表达与术前肝功能、年龄、性别、肿瘤大小、肿瘤TNM分期、分级、HBV、肝硬化、甲胎蛋白等均无关(Ρ均0.05);N-CAD的表达与患者的术前肝功能、年龄、性别、肿瘤大小、肿瘤TNM分期、分级、HBV、肝硬化、甲胎蛋白等均无关(Ρ均0.05)。结论 原发性肝癌中存在明显的上皮间质转化现象;LGR5与原发性肝癌侵袭转移过程中上皮间质转化有关,可能是通过Wnt/β-catenin信号传导通路介导原发性肝癌的上皮间质转化。

LGR5 involves in epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective To research the relationships between Orphan G-protein-coupled Receptor （LGR5） with epithelial-mesenchymal transition of hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods To test the expression of LGR5, E-CAD and N-CAD in 20 HCC tissues, 20 paracancerous tissues of HCC and 14 normal liver tissues by immunohistochemistry and to analyze the expressions of them with some clinic-pathological parameters. Results In 20 HCC specimens, the positive expressions of LGR5, E-CAD and N?CAD were 15 cases（70%）, 7 cases（35%）and 16 cases（80%）respectively. In 20 paracancerous tissues of HCC specimens, the positive expressions were 11 cases（55%）, 11 cases（55%）and 10 cases （55%）. While in all 14 cases of normal liver tissues, the positive expressions are 4 cases（29%）, 11 cases （79%）, 4 cases（29%）respectively. Statistical analysis showed that the positive expression rate of LGR5 in HCC were obviously higher than that in paracancer and normal liver （Ρ <0.05）. The expression of LGR5 was correlated with liver function（Ρ<0.05）, but no statistically significant with age, gender, tumor size, tumor TNM stages, pathological grades, HBV and liver cirrhosis serum alpha fetoprotein（Ρ＞0.05）. There was no statistical significance between the expression of E- CAD with the function of liver, age, gender, tumor size, tumor TNM stages, pathological grades, HBV and liver cirrhosis serum alpha fetoprotein（all P＞0.05）；The expression of N-CAD was not correlated with liver function, age, gender, tumor size, tumor TNM stages, pathological grades, HBVand liver cirrhosis serum alpha fetoprotein（all Ρ＞0.05）. Conclusion Primary liver cancer occurs has obvious EMT phenomenon. LGR5 is related to EMT of invasion and metastasis in primary liver cancer and it may be able to mediate EMT in primary liver cancer through the Wnt/β?catenin signal pathway.