Expression Of Livin And Smac And Their Relationships With Cell Apoptosis And Proliferation Hepatocarcinoma

Objective:To investigate the expression of Livin and Smac proteins in hepatocarcinoma and their relationships with themselves and cell apoptosis and proliferation.Methods:1.The expression of Livin in 41 cancer tissues,41 ajacent cirrhosis tissues and 9 normal tissues in hemangioma was assessed by SupervisionTM two-step immunohistochemical staining technique,and was analyzed with clinical datas.2.The expression of Smac in 41 cancer tissues,41 ajacent cirrhosis tissues and 9 normal tissues in hemangioma was assessed by PV-9003 two-step immunohistochemical staining technique,and was analyzed with clinical datas.3.The expression of PCNA in 41 cancer tissues,41 ajacent cirrhosis tissues and 9 normal tissues in hemangioma was assessed by SupervisionTM two-step immunohistochemical staining technique,and the result was taken as proliferating index.4.The cell apoptosis of 41 cancer tissues,41 ajacent cirrhosis tissues and 9 normal tissues in hemangiomas was assessed by TUNEL method,and the result of TUNEL was taken as apoptotic index.Results:1. Livin protein was expressed in 19(46.34%) of the 41 cases of hepatocarcinomas, in 10(24.39%) of the 41 cases of the ajacent cirrhosis tissues, and in 0(0%) of the normal tissues in hemangioma respectively. The difference between hepatocarcinomas and ajacent cirrhosis tissues and the difference between hepatocarcinomas and normal tissues in hemangioma both had statistical significances(P<0.05); In 9 cases of hepatocarcinomas with tumor metastasis,the cases of Livin positive expression were 8,and in 32 cases of hepatocarcinomas without tumor metastasis,the cases of Livin positive expression were 11,and Livin protein expression in cancer was significantly correlated with tumor metastasis(P<0.05),but was not with age,sex,tumor size, the level of AFP, positive or negtive of HBsAg and the histological grade (P> 0.05).2. Smac protein was expressed in 14(34.14%) of the 41 cases of hepatocarcinomas, in 23(56.10%) of the 41 cases of the ajacent cirrhosis tissues, and in 7(77.8%) of the normal tissues in hemangioma respectively. The difference between hepatocarcinomas and ajacent cirrhosis tissues and the difference between hepatocarcinomas and normal tissues in hemangioma both had statistical significances(P<0.05); Smac protein expression in cancer was not correlated with age,sex,tumor size,the level of AFP, positive or negtive of HBsAg, the histological grade and the tumor metastasis (P>0.05).3. In hepatocarcinomas, the cases of Smac protein positive and negative expression were respectively 3 and 16 in Livin protein positive expression group;The cases of Smac protein positive and negtive expression were both 11 in Livin protein negtive expression group.The value of rs was -0.360 by Spear -man rank correlation analysis,and P<0.05.All above proved that the expression levels of Livin and Smac showed negative correlation in hepatocarcinomas.4. The values of AI increased gradually in the normal tissues in hemangioma,ajacent cirrhosis tissues and hepatocarcinomas. The difference between hepatocarcinomas and ajacent cirrhosis tissues and the difference between hepatocarcinomas and normal tissues in hemangioma both had statistical significances(P<0.01),but the difference between ajacent cirrhosis tissues and normal tissues in hemangioma had not statistical significance(P>0.05); In hepatocarcinomas, there was statistical difference of the values of AI between Livin protein positive and negative expression groups (P<0.05); There was also statistical difference of the values of AI between Smac protein positive and negative expression groups(P<0.05).5. The values of PI increased gradually in the normal tissues in hemangioma,ajacent cirrhosis tissues and hepatocarcinomas.The difference between hepatocarcinomas and ajacent cirrhosis tissues and the difference between hepatocarcinomas and normal tissues in hemangioma both had statistical significances(P<0.01),but the difference between ajacent cirrhosis tissues and normal tissues in hemangioma had not statistical significance(P >0.05); In hepatocarcinomas, there was statistical difference of the values of PI between Livin protein positive and negative expression groups(P<0.05);There was also statistical difference of the values of PI between Smac protein positive and negative expression groups(P<0.05).6. In hepatocarcinomas, the value of AI/PI in Livin protein positive expression group decreased more than negtive expression group,and there was statistical difference between them(P<0.01); The value of AI/PI in Smac protein positive expression group increased more than negtive expression group,and there was also statistical difference between them(P<0.05).Conclusions:In hepatocarcinomas, the relatively higher level of Livin and lower level or protein-missing of Smac may play an important role in inhibiting apoptosis,and that may in a certain extent break the dynamic balance between the apoptosis and proliferation of hepatocarcinoma cells.The imbalance between them may play an important role in the oncogenesis of hepatocarcinoma, and the relationship between them may be an importment link in apoptosis signaling network.