[Expression of heparanase mRNA and its clinical significance in primary hepatocellular carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of heparanase mRNA and its relation with the clinicopathological features and angiogenesis in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Expression of heparanase mRNA was detected by RT-PCR in 51 HCC lesions, and microvessel density (MVD) was detected by immunohistochemical stain with a factor VIII-related monoclonal antibody. RESULTS: Expression of heparanase mRNA was shown in 49.0% (25/51) HCC lesions. The positive rate of heparanase expression in tumors larger than 3 cm (63.6%, 21/33) was significantly higher than those in smaller tumors (22.2%, 4/18; P < 0.01). Heparanase expression was more frequent in highly invasive tumors (70.0%, 14/20) compared with moderately invasive tumors (46.7%, 7/15) and low invasive ones (25.0%, 4/16; P < 0.05). Moreover, heparanase expression in tumors with high MVD (62.5%, 20/32) was significantly higher than those in tumors with low MVD (26.3%, 5/19; P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Heparanase mRNA expression may be important for the growth, invasion and angiogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma.