Objective: To investigate the gene expression of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta(1)) and its type II receptor (TGF-beta R II) in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Methods: The expression of TGF-beta(1) and TGF-beta R II at mRNA level and protein level in 30 cases of HCC was separately detected using reverse transcription-PCR and immunohistochemistry technique.
Results: There was no difference in the expression of TGF-beta(1) at mRNA level between HCC tissue (24/30) and surrounding liver tissue (26/30). At the protein level, however, the expression of TGF-beta(1) decreased in HCC tissue compared with that in the surrounding liver tissue (P < 0.01). The expression of TGF-beta R II mRNA decreased significantly in HCC tissue (11/30) compared with that in the surrounding liver tissue (23/30) (P < 0.01). The less HCC expressed TGF-beta R II mRNA, the poorer the tumoral hepatocytes differentiated (P < 0.01) and the more likely the portal vein metastasis and cancer embolus appeared (P < 0.05).
Conclusions: In the negative growth regulation of tumoral hepatocytes by TGF-beta(1), two defects take place: the expression of TGF-beta(1) at the protein level and the expression of TGF-beta R II at the mRNA level.