Original Articles
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2001. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 15, 2001; 7(3): 335-339
Published online Jun 15, 2001. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v7.i3.335
Alterations in metastatic properties of hepatocellular carcinoma cell following H-ras oncogene transfection
Qing Wang, Zhi-Ying Lin, Xiao-Li Feng
Qing Wang, Department of Microbiology, Medical Center of Fudan University, the former Shanghai Medical University, Shanghai 200032, China
Zhi-Ying Lin, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, Shanghai 200032, China
Xiao-Li Feng, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry, Academy Sinica, Shanghai 200031, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Qing Wang, Department of Microbiology, Medical Center of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China. zmswq@public4.sta.net.cn
Telephone: 0086-21-64041900
Received: February 6, 2001
Revised: February 8, 2001
Accepted: February 12, 2001
Published online: June 15, 2001
Abstract

AIM: To demonstrate the relationship between H-ras oncogene and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis.

METHODS: Activated H-ras oncogene was transfected into SMMC 7721, a cell line derived from human HCC, by calcium phosphate transfection method. Some metastasis-related parameters were detected in vitro, including adhesion assay, migration assay, expression of collagenase IV (cIVase) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).

RESULTS: The abilities of H-ras-transfected cell clones in adhesion to laminin (LN) or fibronectin (FN), migration, cIVase secretion increased markedly, and the expression of EGFR elevated moderately. More importantly, these alterations were consistent positively with the expression of p21, the protein product of H-ras oncogene.

CONCLUSION: H-ras oncogene could induce the metastatic phenotype of HCC cell in vitro to raise its metastatic potential.

Keywords: liver neoplasms/pathology; carcinoma, hepatocellular/pathology; genes, ras; neoplasm metastasis