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Quantitative RT‐PCR in cirrhotic nodules reveals gene expression changes associated with liver carcinogenesis
Author(s) -
Colombat Magali,
Paradis Valérie,
Bièche Ivan,
Dargère Delphine,
Laurendeau Ingrid,
Belghiti Jacques,
Vidaud Michel,
Degott Claude,
Bedossa Pierre
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
the journal of pathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.964
H-Index - 184
eISSN - 1096-9896
pISSN - 0022-3417
DOI - 10.1002/path.1451
Subject(s) - cirrhosis , hepatocellular carcinoma , polyclonal antibodies , carcinogenesis , biology , gene expression , pathology , gene , monoclonal , nodule (geology) , carcinoma , cancer research , microbiology and biotechnology , monoclonal antibody , medicine , antibody , immunology , genetics , paleontology
Cirrhosis is considered to be the precursor of most hepatocellular carcinomas. To gain insight into the early molecular mechanisms of liver carcinogenesis, this study compared, using real‐time quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), the expression levels of 31 selected genes in normal livers, cirrhotic nodules, and hepatocellular carcinomas. Since cirrhosis is composed of a mixture of polyclonal and monoclonal nodules, gene expression levels were also compared according to the clonal status of the cirrhotic nodules. The expression of eight of the 31 genes studied was significantly increased ( NEGF2 , ANGPT1 , ARF , KRT19 , SFN , CLDN4 , MMP7 , and ETV4 ) in cirrhotic nodules compared with normal liver, while only one was decreased ( LYVE1 ). The same trend of variation was observed in cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinomas for all of these genes except KRT19. When gene expression variation was compared according to the clonal status of cirrhotic nodules, only the LYVE1 expression level was significantly different. The LYVE1 gene expression level decreased progressively from polyclonal cirrhotic nodules to monoclonal cirrhotic nodules (polyclonal nodules 0.39 ± 0.25; monoclonal nodules 0.20 ± 0.14; p < 0.05) and to hepatocellular carcinoma (0.07 ± 0.1). In conclusion, this study highlights the fact that among genes strongly dysregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma, some are already abnormally expressed in cirrhosis. The decrease in the expression level of one of these genes, LYVE1 , was associated with monoclonality in cirrhotic nodules. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.