MCM7蛋白在人大鼠树鼩肝癌组织中的表达和意义

  目的  应用跨种属策略研究MCM7蛋白在人、大鼠、树鼩3个不同种属肝癌、癌旁组织及正常肝组织中的表达，探讨MCM7与肝癌发生发展的关系及临床意义。  方法  应用Western blot及免疫组织化学技术检测MCM7蛋白在人、大鼠、树鼩的肝癌、癌旁组织及正常肝组织中的表达并进行临床病理因素分析。  结果  Western blot结果显示，MCM7蛋白在人和大鼠肝癌组织中的表达水平显著高于对应癌旁及正常肝组织（P均 < 0.05），在树鼩肝癌组织中MCM7蛋白的表达水平亦高于其癌旁组织及正常肝组织，但差异无统计学意义（P均>0.05）。免疫组织化学结果显示，MCM7蛋白主要在细胞核中表达，其在人、大鼠、树鼩肝癌组织中的阳性表达率明显高于癌旁及正常肝组织（P均 < 0.05）；MCM7蛋白的表达水平与患者肝癌分期、肝外转移及术后复发相关（P均 < 0.05）。而3种属的癌旁组织与正常肝组织相比，两种技术检测结果显示差异均无统计学意义（P均>0.05）。  结论  MCM7蛋白在肝癌发生发展中可能起着关键分子的作用，并与人肝癌的临床分期，肝外转移及术后复发密切相关，有可能成为肝癌治疗的新靶点。 

The expression and significance of MCM7 protein in hepatocellu-lar carcinoma tissues of human,rat and tree shrew

  Objective  To test the expression of Minichromosome maintenance complex component 7(MCM7) protein in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) of different species including human, rat and tree shrew (tupaia) by cross-species oncogenomics approach, and to investigate the relationship between the expression of MCM7 and the development of hepatocellular carcinoma and its clinical significance.  Methods  Western blot and Immunohistochemistry were applied to detect the expression levels of MCM7 protein in HCC tissues, corresponding HCC-adjacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues collected from different species including human, rat and tree shrew, respectively. The clinicopathologic factors were also analyzed with the results of Immunohistochemistry.  Results  Western blot analysis showed that the expression of MCM7 protein in HCC tissues of human and rat were higher than that in corresponding HCC-adjacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues, respectively and significantly (P < 0.05). However, the expression of MCM7 protein in HCC tissues of tree shrew were also higher than that in corresponding HCC-adjacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues, but no significant difference was found among three types of tissues (P>0.05).There was also no significant difference between HCC-adjacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues in three species (P>0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that MCM7 protein was mainly expressed in nucleus of HCC cells, and the positive rate of MCM7 protein in HCC tissues of human, rat and tree shrew were significantly higher than that in corresponding HCC-adjacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues, respectively (P < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found between HCC-adjacent liver tissues and normal liver tissues (P>0.05). Moreover, the protein level of MCM7 was intimately related to patient's HCC stage, extrahepatic metastases and postoperative recurrence (P < 0.05).  Conclusion  MCM7 protein might play a pivotal role in hepatocarcinogenesis. In addition, it was probably related to patient's HCC stage, extrahepatic metastases and postoperative recurrence. It seems very likely that MCM7 may be applied as a new molecular target in HCC prevention and treatment.