Significant down-regulation of alpha-albumin in human hepatoma and its implication

The potential association of alpha-albumin (ALF) with hepatocellular carcin oma (HCC) was investigated. Expression of ALF was significantly reduced in HCC tumor tissue as compared with the paired peritumor tissue from 16 patie nts and in four HCC cell lines as compared with normal hepatocytes. ALF mRN A was also down-expressed in circulating HCC cells compared to circulating normal hepatocytes. The proliferation of Hep3B cells was inhibited by over- expression of ALF. Taken together, ALF is significantly down-regulated in H CC,, and this might facilitate the proliferation of HCC. Thus, detection of ALF mRNA, in addition to that of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) mRNA, might help to distinguish normal or malignant hepatocytes in peripheral blood. (C) 200 0 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.