Preliminary Screening And Clinical Practice Of Surface Markers For Cancer Stem Cells In Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective:To investigate the expression of surface markers for liver cancer stem cells and the difference compared with normal liver cells. Furthermore, we investigate the relationship between the high expression of certain surface markers for liver cancer stem cells and clinical characters.Methods:In the first part, we study the expression of CD34, CD56, CD117, AFP, P53, Nanog, OCT4 and SOX2 antigen in the normal liver cell lines HepG2 cells, Hep-11 cells and liver cancer stem cell line Hep-12 cells through the cell chip, cell immunohistochemistry. According to the first part, CD34, CD117 has been considered as liver cancer stem cell surface markers. Then in the second part, we detected the expression of CD34 and CD117 antigen in 55 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma by immunohistochemistry, and combined their expression with clinicopathological parameters for statistical analysis to investigate the influence of CD34, CD117 on the recurrence of liver cancer resection.Results:1. Compared with HepG2 and Hep-11 cells, Hep-12 cells with high expression of CD34, CD117, AFP and P53 antigen; 2. The expression of CD34, CD117 antigen in hepatocellular carcinoma is higher than in liver cirrhosis or normal liver tissues; 3. The free survival time of CD34-positive group is shorter than the CD34-negative group in the 55 cases (P= 0.043), and the CD117-positive group free survival time is also significantly shorter than the CD117-negative group (P= 0.000); 4. It has been found that CD117 antigen, serum AFP level and tumor size are independent prognostic factors in HCC free survival time of patients by univariate and multivariate analysis.Conclusion:Our findings suggest that liver CSC specifically expressed CD34, CD117, AFP and P53 compared with normal liver cancer cells. In the course of postoperative recurrence of HCC, CD34 may favor the growth and metastasis by promoting tumor angiogenesis, and CD117 may influence free survival time by inducing liver cancer recurrence. The immunohistochemical study of CD34, CD117 from the two aspects of cytology and histology clarified the possible impact and clinical significance of liver cancer stem cell surface markers CD34, CD117 on the postoperative recurrence and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.