Expression of Nov, CYR61 and CTGF genes in human hepatocellular carcinoma

CCN family genes, Nov, CYR61 and CTGF, are immediate-early genes expressed in fibroblasts following growth stimuli. Aberrant expression of Nov has bee n found in human Wilms' tumor, and suggested to be involved in tumorigenesi s. The aim of our experiments is to examine the expression of CCN family ge nes in human hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and find the correlation of t hese gene expressions with clinicopathological parameters. A pair of tumor and surrounding non-tumor tissues were obtained from 23 patients with HCC a nd six with metastatic liver tumor. Total cellular RNA isolated from tissue s was analyzed for the presence of mRNA of CCN family genes by the reverse- transcription polymerase chain reaction. Nov, CYR61 and CTGF mRNA were iden tified in 17 (73.9%), 17 (73.9%), six (26.1%) tumors, and in nine (39.1%), 16 (69.6%), one (4.3%) surrounding non-tumor tissues of 23 patients with HC C. No significant difference was found in clinicopathological parameters be tween cases with HCC negative and positive for these gene expressions. The prevalence of Nov and CTGF expression in HCC is significantly higher than t hose in surrounding non-tumor. The same tendency was found in metastatic tu mors. These results suggest that Nov and CTGF is associated with the develo pment of tumors in the liver. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.