The Role Of ILK And β-catenin In Tumor Invasion And Metastasis Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

[Objective] To investigate the expression of ILK , β-catenin, E-cadherin, MMP-9 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the relationships between their expression and the invasion, metastasis of HCC, and explore the role of ILK and β-catenin in tumor invasion and metastasis.[Methods] The expression of ILK, β-catenin, E-cadherin, MMP-9 in 60 specimens of HCC, 15 specimens of liver cirrhosis and 10 specimens of the normal group were studied by immunohistochemistry(SP method) respectively. The relationships between ILK, β-catenin, E-cadherin, MMP-9 and the invasion, metastasis of HCC were analysed. The relationship between the expression of ILK and MMP-9, and the relationship between β -catenin and E-cadherin were also analysed.[ Results ] 1. The expression of ILK in HCC (37/60,61.7%) was higher than that of corresponding adjacent noncancerous tissues (21/60,35.0%), the expression of β -catenin in HCC (48/60,80.0%) was higher than that of corresponding adjacent noncancerous tissues (29/60,48.3%), the expression of MMP-9 in HCC (42/60,70.0%) was higher than that of corresponding adjacent noncancerous tissues (33/60,55.0%). On the contrary, the decreasing expression of E-cadherin in HCC was 75.0%(45/60). 2. The expression level of ILK in HCC was positively correlated with the size of tumor (P≤0.05) and tumor emboli in portal vein (P≤0.01). The expression level of β -catenin in HCC was positively correlated with the grade of Edmondaon's classification (P≤0.01) and the number of tumors (P≤0.05). The expression level ofMMP-9 in HCC was positively correlated with the number of tumor (P≤0.01), tumor emboli in portal vein (P≤0.05), and existence of liver cirrhosis in adjacent noncancerous tissues (P≤0.05). The expression level of E-cadherin in HCC was negatively correlated with the tumor emboli in portal vein (P≤0.05) and the number of tumor (P≤0.05) ,but positively correlated with capsular integrity (P≤0.05). 3. The expression level of ILK in HCC was positively correlated with the expression level of MMP-9 (P≤0.05), but there was no correlation between ILK and β -catenin, E-cadherin. 4. The expression level of β -catenin in HCC was negatively correlated with the expression level of E-cadherin (P≤0.05), but there was no correlation between β -catenin and MMP-9.[Conclusions] 1.ILK, β-catenin ,MMP-9 may promote the invasion and metastasis of HCC. And the lose expression of E-cadherin may promote the invasion and metastasis of HCC. 2.It resulted in that ILK, β -catenin .MMP-9, E-cadherin would be useful criterion to predict the invasion, metastasis of HCC. 3. Up-regurating expression of MMP-9 in HCC may be one of mechanisms that ILK promotes the invasion and metastasis of HCC.