DEC1 nuclear expression：A marker of differentiation grade in hepatocellular carcinoma

• Published in: World journal of gastroenterology : WJG 2011-04, Vol.17 (15), p.2037-2043
• Main Authors: Shi, Xiao-Hong, Zheng, Yan, Sun, Qing, Cui, Jing, Liu, Qing-Hua, Qü, Fei, Wang, Yun-Shan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - genetics; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors - metabolism; Brief; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology; Cell Nucleus - metabolism; Female; Homeodomain Proteins - genetics; Homeodomain Proteins - metabolism; Humans; Liver - cytology; Liver - metabolism; Liver - pathology; Liver Neoplasms - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Middle Aged; 分化程度; 化学检测; 标记; 病理组织学; 组织分化; 肝癌; 肝组织; 肝细胞癌
• ISSN: 1007-9327; 2219-2840
• DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v17.i15.2037

AIM： To investigate the expression patterns of human differentiated embryo chondrocyte 1 （DEC1） in hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） and corresponding adjacent non-tumor and the normal liver tissues, the association between DEC1 expression and histopathological variables and the role of DEC1 in hepatocarcinogenesis. METHODS： The expression of DEC1 was detected immunohistochemically in 176 paraffin-embedded sections from 63 patients with HCC and 50 subjects with normal liver tissues. RESULTS： DEC1 protein was persistently expressed in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes in normal liver and HCC tissues. Compared with adjacent non-tumor liver tissues, HCC tissues showed high nuclear expression of DEC1 protein. However, high DEC1 nuclear expression was more frequently detected in well-differentiated （83.3%） than in moderately （27.3%） and poorly differentiated HCC （16.7%）. Low DEC1 expression was associated with poor histological differentiation and malignancy progression. A correlation was found between the nuclear expression of DEC1 protein and histological differentiation （r = 0.376, P = 0.024）. CONCLUSION： DEC1 is expressed in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes and because nuclear DEC1 expression is decreased with decreasing differentiation status of HCC, nuclear DEC1 might be a marker of HCC differentiation.