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Expression of TGF-b1 and smad4 mRNA in chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and para-cancerous tissues, and their significance
Dan Liao, Guang-Han Luo, Ji-Zhou Wu, Jian-Ning Jiang, Yu-Quan Huang
Dan Liao, Guang-Han Luo, Ji-Zhou Wu, Jian-Ning Jiang, Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530027, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
Yu-Quan Huang, Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530027, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China
Correspondence to: Jian-Ning Jiang, Department of Infectious Diseases, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530027, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. jjning@yahoo.uk.cn
Received: June 16, 2004 Revised: July 9, 2004 Accepted: July 27, 2004 Published online: September 15, 2004
AIM: Transforming growth factor b1 (TGF-b1) signaling pathway is involved in a variety of important cellular regulative functions. including cell growth, differentiation, adhesion migration, extracellular matrix formation and immune regulation. The study was aimed to evaluate the relationship and mechanism of transforming growth factor b1 protein and smad4 mRNA in formation and development of fibrosis by detecting the expression of transforming growth factor b1 protein and smad4 mRNA in liver biopsy of chronic virus hepatitis, hepatocirrhosis and para-cancerous tissues.
METHODS: In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were used in 10 cases of normal liver tissue, 17 cases of para-cancerous tissues, 70 cases of chronic virus hepatitis and hepatocirrhosis.
RESULTS: Increased expression of TGF-b1 and smad4 mRNA in the intermediate degree of chronic virus hepatitis and hepatocirrhosis; the positive rates of TGF-b1 and smad4 mRNA were obviously higher in the chronic virus hepatitis and hepatocirrhosis (83.3%, 87.0% and 87.5%, 87.0%) than those in the normal liver (20.0%, 20.0%), the expression of TGF-b1 and smad4 mRNA had a significant relationship between the intermediate degree of chronic virus hepatitis, hepatocirrhosis and the normal liver (b3P <0.01, χ2 = 12.3980; b4P <0.01, χ2 = 14.0 609; b1P <0.01, χ2 = 14.6 953; b2P <0.01, χ2 = 14.0 609); the expression of TGF-b1 and smad4 mRNA in pare-cancerous tissues were significantly lower than that in the chronic virus hepatitis and hepatocirrhosis, as comparied with with the normal liver; the expression of TGF-b1 and smad4 mRNA reached the highest level at the stage S3, and decreased slightly at the stage S4, with positive relevance (χ2 = 4.5 064, P = 0.0 336, r = 0.2 668), in which most of the positive cells were distributed surroundings of portal tract, central vein, and the sinus.
CONCLUSION: TGF-b/smad pathway plays a significant role in formation and development of hepatic fibrosis, and the localization of TGF-b1 and smad4mRNA in hepatic tissue section can be used to evaluate accurately situation and tendency of hepatic fibrosis.
Key Words: N/A
Citation: Liao D, Luo GH, Wu JZ, Jiang JN, Huang YQ. Expression of TGF-b1 and smad4 mRNA in chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and para-cancerous tissues, and their significance. Shijie Huaren Xiaohua Zazhi 2004; 12(9): 2091-2094
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