Expression Of IP-10 And CXCR3 In Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and is also more common in China. Most cases of HCC in China develop from hepatitis B virus infection. Among the patients who are exposed to the hepatitis B virus, the minority (about 5%) can be survived after five years on bases of energetic and efficient treatment. The aim of this study was to observe the expression of CXCR3, interferonγ-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and x-gene flugment of HBV in patients of hepatocellular carcinoma and normal contorls, and to evaluate the possible correlationship of CXCR3 and IP-10 in the HCC and to explore the application value in evaluation of HCC prognosis.Methods: On bases of collecting the data of general clinical medicine and pathogen, forty-two typical patients with HCC after HBV infection, and the levels of IP-10 in serum were evaluated by the method of ELISA, the contents of IP-10mRNA and its recepror, CXCR3 mRNA, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and liver biopsy were measured by the method of PCR. The ratio of lgcDNA/lgGAPDH was regarded as the ultimate level of IP-10mRNA to reduce the influence on amplified effiociency of cDNA and other factors. Detect the expression of CXCR3, IP-10 in the liver biopsy from the patients of hepatic carcinoma by Streptavidin-peroxidase immunohistochemistry stain.Results: The level of IP-10 in serum of the patients of HCC was (379.3±59.4)pg/ml, which was significantly higher than that in control group(P<0.01), as well as the mRNA of CXCR3 and IP-10 in PBMC the level of (1.2141±0.1825)lg cDNA/lgGAPDH, (0.6459±0.0895)lgcDNA/lgGAPDH, respectively(P<0.01). The mRNA of CXCR3 and IP-10 in hepatic carcinoma biopsy tissue was (1.4270±0.2025)lgcDNA/lgGAPDH, (0.7324±0.1294)lgcDNA/lgGAPDH, respectively, and there was significant difference between them(P<0.01). It is illustrated by immnohistochemistry that CXCR3 expresed mainly in the hepatic cells, vascular endothelial cells and lymphocytes of the membrane and cytoplasm, mainly located in the hepatic cells and portal area, whereas in normal hepatic tissue there have not been stained or weakly positive staining, and the difference was significant(P<0.05). Homoplastically, IP-10 expressed mainly on sinus hepatic endothelial cells, and was mainly gathered in the necrosis of liver cells district, whereas in normal hepatic tissue there had not been stained or weakly positive staining, and the difference was significant(P<0.05). In forty-two cases of hepatocellular carcinoma patients, CXCR3 and IP-10 protein expression in the majority of HCC tumor tissues, the positive rates were 76.19%(32/42), 64.29%(27/42), whereas in normal liver tissue positive rates of CXCR3, IP-10 protein expression were 33.33%(4/12), 16.67%(2/12), compared were significantly different(P<0.05;P<0.01), respectively. According to imaging analysis, the positive rate of CXCR3 and IP-10 in the highly, moderately, poorly differentiated HCC cells were 91.3%, 81.82%, 25.00%, the difference was significant(P<0.05), respectively. Similarly, the positive rate of IP-10 in the high, moderate, low differentiated HCC cells were 86.95%, 63.64%, 0.00%, the difference was significant(P<0.05), respectively.Conclusion: The high level of HBx-DNA can be expressed in peripheral blood and liver tissue of the patients with HCC, and has better correlation with the level of AFP. There is abnormal expression of CXCR3 and IP-10 in the serum of HCC patients, and has better correlationship with the load of HBV in serum. IP-10 is expressed mainly in hepatic lobule sinusoid endothelial cell, and gathered in the necrotic zone, while CXCR3 in cell membrane and cell membrane of hepatocyte, vascular endothelial cell and lymphocyte. The level of CXCR3 and IP-10 expression has few correlation with the patients'ages, the size of the tumor, but has negative correlation with the tumor cells differentiation and invasion.