Circulating human hepatic lipase mRNA in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and healthy controls

Objective: To evaluate circulating human hepatic lipase mRNA as an indicato r of circulating hepatoma cells by transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Design: Prospective study Setting: University hospital, Germany. Subjects: 15 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and 8 healthy volunteer s. Interventions: Peripheral venous blood was obtained and total RNA was extra cted from the lymphocytic layer by caesium chloride gradient centrifugation . The mRNA was reverse transcripted, and hepatic lipase cDNA was amplified by hepatic Lipase specific primers with PCR. The integrity of isolated RNA was confirmed by RT-PCR with beta-actin specific primers. Amplificates were visualised by agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide staining. Main outcome measures: Detection of hepatic-lipase-specific RT-PCR products in peripheral blood. Results: Circulating hepatic lipase-specific PCR products were detected in all patients with HCC and in all healthy controls. Conclusion: Detection of circulating human hepatic lipase-mRNA by RT-PCR do es not indicate metastasising HCC.