Expression,relationship and effect of gene of cathepsin B,urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA)and its receptor(uPAR)in hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective: To determine the expression, relationship and function of gene of cathepsin B (CB),urokinase-type plasminogen activator(uPA)and its receptor(uPAR)in hepatocellular carcinoma, and to explore their effects and mechanism. Methods: The expression of CB mRNA,uPA mRNA and uPAR mRNA in 71 specimens of human hepatic tissue,including control (C) 12,hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)34 and paratumor tissue of hepatocellular carcinoma(PTT) 25 were detected with reverse transcription-polymerase chain raction(RT-PCR). The expression of relationship among CB mRNA,uPA mRNA and uPAR mRNA were researched. Results: The CB mRNA,uPA mRNA and uPAR mRNA in HCC were very significantly higher than those in C and in PTT(all P 0.01);there had no significant difference between PTT and C (all P 0.05).There were significant correlation between the expression of CB mRNA and uPA mRN(Ar=0.805),CB mRNA and uPAR mRNA (r=0.786),uPA mRNA and uPAR mRNA(r=0.874)(all P 0.01). Conclusion: The CB mRNA,uPA mRNA and uPAR mRNA show strongly expression in HCC and they may induce each other, promote cooperatively invasion and metastasis of HCC.