ZNF217在肝细胞癌中的表达及对肿瘤侵袭的影响

摘要

目的 研究锌指蛋白217 (zinc finger protein 217,ZNF217) 在肝细胞癌 (hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC) 中的表达及对肝癌细胞侵袭能力的影响.方法 采用免疫组化染色检测50对肝癌及癌旁组织中ZNF217的表达水平.分析不同ZNF217表达水平的肝癌患者临床特征的差异.使用ZNF217特异性siRNA沉默肝癌MHCC97-H细胞内ZNF217的表达后,通过Transwell侵袭小室模型检测下调ZNF217对MHCC97-H侵袭能力的影响,蛋白质免疫印迹检测细胞内上皮间质化转变 (epithelial-mesenchymal transition,EMT) 标志物E-cadherin及Vimentin蛋白的表达变化.结果ZNF217蛋白在肝癌组织中的表达水平显著升高 (P=0.007);高表达ZNF217的肝癌患者TNM分期更晚 (Ⅲ+Ⅳ期,P=0.022).siRNA下调MHCC97-H细胞内ZNF217的表达后降低了侵袭细胞的数目 (P=0.024),上调了细胞内E-cadherin蛋白的表达 (P=0.039) 而抑制了Vimentin蛋白的表达 (P=0.011).结论 肝癌中高表达的ZNF217可能通过诱导肿瘤细胞发生EMT现象而促进肿瘤侵袭.%Objective To investigate the expression of zinc finger protein 217 (ZNF217) in human hepatocellular carcinoma and its role in cell invasion. Methods The expression levels of ZNF217 in 50 paired HCC and matched tumor adjacent tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. Pearson chi-square analysis was used to analyze the relationship between ZNF217 expression and clinical features. ZNF217 specific small interference RNA (siRNA) was used to silence the expression of ZNF217 in MHCC97-H cells. Cell invasion was measured by transwell model assays. Western blot was used to detect the expression of Ecadherin and Vimentin in ZNF217 knockdown cells. Results The expression of ZNF217 was up-regulated in HCC tissues (P =0.007). High expression of ZNF217 was associated with advanced TNM stage (Ⅲ + Ⅳ, P = 0.022). Down-regulation of ZNF217 decreased cell invasion (P = 0.024) and Vimentin expression (P = 0.011), but increased E-cadherin expression (P = 0.039).Conclusion High expression of ZNF217 in HCC tissues may increase cell invasion through inducing EMT.