Expressions Of Livin, A Novel Inhibitor Of Apoptosis Protein, In Tissues Of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the expressions of livin, a novel inhibitor of apoptosis protein and its relationship with the clinical feature of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by immunohistochemical (IHC) and image analysis methods.Methods: Immunohistochemistry (S-P) and image analysis methods were used to detect the expression of livin in 48 specimens of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),20 cirrhosis of liver and 12 nomal liver tissues.Results: Livin protein were expressed in 33 of 48 HCC cases. Of the 15 cases were not expressing livin. It was expressed in 3 of 20 cirrhosis of liver, and none of 12 nomal liver tissues. When compared with normal livers and cirrhosis of liver, hepatocellularcar cinoma had significantly more frequencies of livin expression(p<0.01). It had not relationship with age, sex, the sizes of HCC, the histologic differentiation and AFP, etc (p>0.05).But it had relationship with the transfer of HCC(p<0.05).Conclusion: The up regulation expression of the livin protein gene in HCC suggests that livin participate in carcinogenesis. The fact that there was no significant correlation between livin gene expression and the age, sex, the size of the tumor, AFP, whether or not merge B hepatitis, cirrhosis, histologic differentiation but had great correlation with the transfer of HCC, it suggested that livin is likely to be identified as a special index in diagnosis and a potential therapeutic target in HCC.