IRX2基因在原发性肝癌中表达的初步研究

摘要

目的 检测易洛魁族同源盒基因(IRX2)在原发性肝癌(HCC)组织中的表达及其临床意义.方法 收集手术切除的HCC组织标本及癌旁组织标本,采用实时荧光定量PCR和Western blotting检测IRX2在肝癌组织及相应癌旁组织的表达情况.采用免疫组化法分析IRX2蛋白在肝癌组织和癌旁组织中的表达及定位.比较高、中、低分化肝癌组织中IRX2蛋白表达与肝癌临床病理分期之间的关系.结果 80％(16/20)的肝癌组织中,IRX2 mRNA的表达量低于癌旁组织(P=0.04)；IRX2蛋白在肝癌组织中的相对表达量(0.866)低于癌旁组织(1.803,P=0.009).随着肝癌分化程度的降低,IRX2蛋白表达量也随之降低,差异有统计学意义(P=0.001).进一步研究发现,高分化与低分化肝癌组织,中分化与低分化肝癌组织中IRX2蛋白的表达差异有统计学意义(P=0.006,P=0.001),而中分化与高分化组织IRX2蛋白表达差异无统计学意义(P=0.539).结论 HCC组织中IRX2的表达水平低于癌旁组织,IRX2的异常表达与HCC的分化程度有关.%Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of Iroquois homeobox gene (IRX2) in human primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods The specimens of HCC tissue and peritumoral tissue were collected surgically from patients with HCC. Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting were used to characterize the expression of IRX2 in specimens of HCC tissues and peritumoral tissues. The expression and location of IRX2 protein in HCC tissues and peritumoral tissues were detected by immunohistochemisty. The difference in the expression of IRX2 protein and mRNA were analyzed. The relationship between the expression of IRX2 protein in the well, moderate, poor-differentiated HCC groups and the pathological stage of HCC were determined. Results The expression of IRX2 mRNA in 80% (16/20) HCC tissues was lower than that in the peritumoral tissues (P=0.04); the relative expression of IRX2 protein in HCC tissues (0.866) was lower than that in the peritumoral tissues (1.803, P=0.009). With the reducing of HCC differentiation stage, the expression of IRX2 protein decreased, with significant difference (P=0.00l). Further research indicated that the differences in the expression of IRX2 protein was statistically significant between poor and well differentiated HCC tissue, and between poor and moderate differentiated HCC tissue (P=0.006, P=0.00l), but no significant difference existed between moderate and well differentiated HCC tissue (P=0.539). Conclusion The expression of IRX2 in primary HCC tissue is lower than that in the peritumoral tissue, and the abnormal expression of IRX2 may be related to the differentiation of HCC.