Study Of Syndecan-1 Expression In Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background:Syndecans comprise a gene family of transmembrane proteglycans that regulate cellular behavior through interactions with various effectors,including heparin-binding growth and insoluble matrix components. Syndecan- 1 can bind to numerous ligands including growth factors and matrix molecules,transducing those singals via its cytoplasmic tail and associating intereellularly with the actin cytoskeleton to affect cell morphogenesis,proliferation and differentiation. In spite of the ubiquitous localization of syndecan- 1 ,lillte is known about its distribution, its biologic significance, or its change of expression in pathological conditions of human liver.It has reported that syndecan- 1 was expressed in human normal liver.However,there is no report concerning the alteration of syndecan- 1 expression in human hepatocellular careinoma(HCC) in our country.In the present study, we report a marked reduction of syndecan-l expression in 11CC, and also investigate the clinic significance of the chang of its expression with special regard to the metastatic potential of the tumor. Objective: (l)To investigate syndecan-l expression in nomal hepatocyte and in HCC.(2)To study the relation between syndecan-l and malignant phenotypes of hepatocellular carcinoma. Materials and Methods Thirty-one HCC and eleven normal liver formalin-fixed sections were obtained. The syndecan- 1 protein was measured with immunohistochemistry assay (ABC method), the expression of syndecan-1 niRNA in normal liver tissues and 18 syndecan:l protein negtive 11CC and their corresponding peritumor liver tissues was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction(RT-P CR). Results: Among 31 11CC tissues ,18 (58.1 %)show negative staining; the syndecan- 1 negative rate in 11CC with poor differentiation was higher than those with good differentiation(80% vs 37.5%,PKO.05);and in large I-ICC was higher than in small HCC(85.9% vs 35.3,P