Korean J Hepatol.  2012 Mar;18(1):63-74. 10.3350/kjhep.2012.18.1.63.

Co-expression patterns of Notch1, Snail, and p53 in grade III hepatocellular carcinoma with postoperative recurrence: a preliminary study

• Jang SK
• Choi GH
• Choi J
• Quan X
• Jang JW
• Kim BH
• Jung G
• Park YM

• KMID: 1372653
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3350/kjhep.2012.18.1.63

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
We aimed to determine the association between the co-expression patterns of Notch1, Snail, and p53 proteins (NSP) and the postoperative prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
METHODS
The immunoblot data for molecular expression (147 HCC/corresponding non-HCC tissues and 15 dysplastic nodules) and the sequencing data for p53 mutations (110 HCCs) were obtained from our previous study. Data analyses were restricted to cases with HCC differentiation grade III (n=47), due to its high p53 mutation rate.
RESULTS
Nineteen of the 47 patients (40.4%) -comprising 12 in the liver and 7 in distant organs-had relapsed at 1-2 years after surgery. There was no relationship between p53 mutation and postoperative recurrence in the grade III HCCs. Seven (87.5%) of the eight relapsed cases with Notch1, Snail, and p53 (wild) co-expression experienced recurrence only within the liver, and all tumors were smaller than 5 cm in diameter. Extrahepatic relapse occurred mostly in HCC patients with tumors larger than 5 cm in diameter, without any deviation in the NSP pattern.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of this preliminary study suggest that the co-expression of Notch1, Snail, and p53 (wild) is not inferior to the patterns with p53 mutation as an indicator of postoperative recurrence of grade III HCC.

Keyword

Notch1 intracellular domain; p53; Snail; p53 mutation; Hepatocellular carcinoma

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*metabolism/pathology/surgery
Female
Humans
Liver Neoplasms/*metabolism/pathology/surgery
Male
Middle Aged
Mutation
Neoplasm Staging
Postoperative Period
Prognosis
Receptor, Notch1/*metabolism
Recurrence
Transcription Factors/*metabolism
Tumor Suppressor Protein p53/genetics/*metabolism