Published online Dec 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i12.2671
Revised: June 18, 2003
Accepted: September 28, 2003
Published online: December 15, 2003
AIM: To study the expression and serum level of HBxAg, Fas and FasL in tissues of HCC patients, and to assess the relationship between HBxAg and Fas/FasL system.
METHODS: Tissues from 50 patients with HCC were tested for the expression of HBxAg, Fas and FasL by S-P immunohistochemistry. Serum levels of sFas/sFasL and HBsAg/HBeAg were measured by ELISA assay. HBV X gene was detected by PCR in serum and confirmed by automatic sequencing. Fifty cases of liver cirrhosis and 30 normal controls were involved in serum analysis.
RESULTS: The expression of HBxAg, Fas and FasL in carcinoma tissues was 96%, 84% and 98%, respectively. Staining of HBxAg, Fas and FasL was observed predominately in cytoplasms, no significant difference was found in intensity between HBxAg, Fas and FasL (P > 0.05). HBxAg, Fas and FasL might express in the same area of carcinoma tissues and this co-expression could be found in most patients with HCC. The mean levels of sFas in serum from HCC, cirrhosis and normal controls were 762.29 ± 391.56 μg·L-1, 835.36 ± 407.33 μg·L-1 and 238.27 ± 135.29 μg·L-1. The mean levels of sFasL in serum from HCC, cirrhosis and normal controls were 156.36 ± 9.61 μg·L-1, 173.63 ± 18.74 μg·L-1 and 121.96 ± 7.83 μg·L-1. Statistical analysis showed that both sFas and sFasL in HCC and cirrhosis patients were significantly higher than those in normal controls (P < 0.01). Serum HBV X gene was found in 32% of HCC patients and 46% of cirrhotic patients. There was no significant relationship between serum level of sFas/sFasL and serum X gene detection (P > 0.05). Eight percent of HCC patients with negative HBsAg and HBeAg in serum might have X gene in serum and HBxAg expression in carcinoma tissues.
CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that HBxAg and Fas/FasL system plays an important role in the development of human HCC. Expression of HBxAg can leads to expression of Fas/ FasL system which and reverse apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma induced by FasL.