The Expression And Clinical Significance Of Apaf-1 Gene In Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective: To study the expression and the clinical significance of Apaf-1 gene in human hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemical (streptavidin-perosidase, S-P) methods were applied to detect the Apaf-1 gene transcription and expression in tumor tissues, tumor adjacent tissues and normal liver tissues. In total, 53 cases of HCC were included in experiment group and 14 cases of normal liver tissues were included as control. The relationship between expression of Apaf-1 gene and clinicopathologic parameters was analyzed by statistical methods.Results: Comparing with para-tumor tissue(positive rate are 90.56%and79.24%, transcription and expression respectively) and normal liver tissues (100%and92.85%respectively), the transcription and expression levels(45.28%and32.07%respectively) in tumor tissues were significantly lower(P<0.05);No significant difference were observed between the tumor adjacent tissues and the normal liver tissues. The reduced expression of Apaf-1 was not correlated with patients, gender, tumor size and AFP level; but with the HBsAg status, Edmondson grading and the presence of portal vein tumor thrombus.Conclusion: Apaf-1 gene expression abnormality may play an important role in the pathogenesis and development of HCC. Detection of the expression of Apaf-1 in clinical may also has potential values for diagnosis, treatment decision and prognosis prediction of HCC.