Expression And Significance Of Beclin-1,Caspase-9 And P53 In Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective To investigate the role and their correlation of autophagy-related protein Beclin-1 and apoptotic protein Caspase-9 and p53 in hepatocellular carcinoma cancer as well as their associations with the clinicopathological parameters and prognosis.And to supply more effective evidence for the detection in early stage and the therapy of HCC.Methods The expression of Beclin-1,Caspase-9 and p53 in 108 cases of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),30 cases of cirrhosis tissue and 20 cases of normal liver tissue were examined by immunohistochemical staining.And we also analysed their associations with the clinicopathological parameters and five-year overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival(DFS).Results The expression of Beclin-1 in HCC was lower than that in normal liver tissue(χ2= 5.775,P = 0.016),while there was no difference of Beclin-1 expression with cirrhosis and HCC(χ2 = 0.054,P = 0.815).The expression of Caspase-9 in HCC was significantly higher than that in normal liver tissue(χ2=4.349,P=0.037).The positive rate of Caspase-9was not different both between normal liver tissue and HCC,cirrhosis and HCC(χ2=0.347,P=0.556;χ2=2.713,P=0.100).P53 expression in HCC was higher than that in normal liver tissue(χ2=17.297,P=0.000)and cirrhosis(χ2=21.330,P=0.000).The expression of Beclin-1 in HCC was correlated with Edmondson grade(P=0.010)and AFP(P=0.047),and there were no correlation with age,sex,tumor size,tumor number,satellite nodule,vascular invasion,cirrhosis,capsule invasion,TNM stage(P>0.05).The expression of p53 was only correlated with Edmondson grade(P=0.001).Caspase-9expression was correlated with Edmondson grade and satellite nodule(P=0.001 and P=0.005).There was a negative correlation between Beclin-1 and p53(r=-0.241,P=0.012)while there was a positive correlation of Beclin-1 with Caspase-9(r=0.223,P=0.020),and there was no correlation of Caspase-9 and p53(χ2=5.775,P=0.077).The survival analysis showed that Beclin-1 and Caspase-9 expression were both associated with OS and DFS(P=0.001,P=0.006 and P=0.001 and P=0.006,respectively)and p53 expression showed significant correlation with OS(P=0.025)but not DFS(P=0.084).Conclusion Beclin-1 expression was decreased while Caspase-9 and p53 expression were increased in HCC.There was a negative correlation between Beclin-1 and p53 and a positive correlation with Caspase-9.Beclin-1 and p53 were associated with the occurrence of HCC,while Caspase-9 was associated with the carcinogenesis and progression of HCC.Beclin-1,Caspase-9 and p53 may be used to predict the biological behavior and prognosis of HCC.