Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Nov 21, 2010; 16(43): 5502-5509
Published online Nov 21, 2010. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v16.i43.5502
FOXP3 expression and clinical characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma
Wei-Hua Wang, Chang-Li Jiang, Wei Yan, Yu-Hai Zhang, Jiang-Tao Yang, Cun Zhang, Bo Yan, Wei Zhang, Wei Han, Jun-Zhi Wang, Ying-Qi Zhang
Wei-Hua Wang, Jun-Zhi Wang, National Center for Safety Evaluation of Drugs, National Institute for the Control of Pharmaceutical and Biological Products, Beijing 100050, China
Wei-Hua Wang, Chang-Li Jiang, Cun Zhang, Bo Yan, Wei Zhang, Wei Han, Ying-Qi Zhang, Biotechnology Center, School of Pharmacy, the Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
Wei-Hua Wang, Chang-Li Jiang, Cun Zhang, Bo Yan, Wei Zhang, Wei Han, Ying-Qi Zhang, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
Wei Yan, Department of Pathology, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
Yu-Hai Zhang, Department of Health Statistics, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
Jiang-Tao Yang, Department of Pathology, Xi’an Gaoxin Hospital, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China
Author contributions: Wang WH and Jiang CL contributed equally to this work; Wang WH, Zhang W, Han W, Wang JZ and Zhang YQ designed the research; Wang WH, Jiang CL, Yan W, Zhang YH, Yang JT, Zhang C and Yan B performed the research; Wang WH, Yan W, Zhang YH and Yang JT analyzed the data; Wang WH wrote the paper.
Correspondence to: Ying-Qi Zhang, MD, Biotechnology Center, School of Pharmacy, the Fourth Military Medical University, 17 Changle West Road, Xi’an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China. zhangyqh@fmmu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-29-84774773 Fax: +86-29-83247213
Received: April 26, 2010
Revised: July 20, 2010
Accepted: July 27, 2010
Published online: November 21, 2010
Abstract

AIM: To study the biological and clinical characteristics of transcription factor forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS: We analyzed the expression and localization of FOXP3 in HCC tissues and cell lines to evaluate its biological features. The relationship between FOXP3 staining and clinical risk factors of HCC was assessed to identify the clinical characteristics of FOXP3 in HCC.

RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expression of FOXP3 were found in some hepatoma cell lines. Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of HCC sections revealed that 48% of HCC displayed FOXP3 staining, but we did not find any FOXP3 staining in normal liver tissues and para-tumor tissues. IHC and Confocal analysis showed that the expressions of FOXP3 were mainly present in the nucleus and cytoplasm of tumor cells in tissues or cell lines. In HCC, the distribution of FOXP3 was similar to that of the cirrhosis, but not to the hepatitis B virus. Those findings implicate that FOXP3 staining seems to be associated with the high risk of HCC.

CONCLUSION: The clinical characteristics of FOXP3 in HCC warrants further studies to explore its functions and roles in the cirrhosis and development of HCC.

Keywords: Forkhead box protein 3; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Tumor differentiation; Cirrhosis; Hepatitis B virus