Enhanced expression of translation factor mRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma

Several studies have demonstrated elevated expression of translation factor mRNAs in malignant tissues. In this study, using primary human hepatocellu lar carcinoma (HCC) tissues, we examined gene expression of translation fac tors, including 2 eukaryotic initiation factors (eIFs-4A1, -4E), 4 elongati on factors (eEFs-1 alpha, -1 gamma, -1 delta, and-2) and 10 ribosomal prote ins (Rps P1, P2, S10, L35, L5, L39, L9, L6, S3a and S17), whose mRNA expres sion has never been examined in HCC. Our results demonstrated that all the mRNAs examined were up-regulated in HCC tissues. Among 7 HCC tissues of dif ferent histological grades, the expression of these mRNAs remained at basal levels in a well to moderately differentiated (W/M-) HCC, was coordinately up-regulated in moderately differentiated (M-) HCCs. In moderately to poor ly differentiated (M/P-) HCCs, the expression of eEFs-1 gamma, -1 delta, -2 Rps P0 and L9 mRNAs was further up-regulated along with the histological g rading. These results therefore suggest that coordination and specific acti vation of translation factor genes might be involved in the process of live r carcinogenesis.