Expression and clinical significance of P53 and P63 in primary hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective To explore the relationship between P53,P63 and clinical pathological features of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),and to investigate further their effects in the pathogenesis and development of HCC.Methods 46 surgical specimens identified pathologically as primary HCC were selected,20 peritumoural cirrhosis tissue embedding paraffin blocks and 20 cases of paraffin-embedded liver tissues exsected due to liver benign pathological changes were used as controls.The expressions of P53 and P63 were detected by immunohistochemistry in hepatocellular carcinoma,liver cirrhosis and normal liver tissues,and comparative studies were carried out Results P63 was over-expressed in poorly differentiated HCC and HCC with lymphatic metastasis,which played an effect of oncogene,however,P53 played an effect of tumor suppressor gene in primary HCC,furthermore,which was correlated with the differentiation degree of carcinoma,cancer embolus infiltration in portal vessel,lymph node metastasis,but the expression of P53 was not related with that of P63.Conclusion P63 plays an effect of oncogene in primary HCC,however,P53 plays an effect of tumor suppressor gene in primary HCC,and P53 genetic mutation is one of important events in the pathogenesis and development of primary HCC.