Study on the expression of apoptosis, proliferation and the related regulation factors in hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective To investigate the expression of apoptosis, proliferation and the related regulation factors in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Apoptosis, nuclear antigen of proliferating cells (PCNA), p53 and Fas protein were detected by labeling technique of in situ terminal deoxynucleotide transferase and immunohistochemical method in 35 HCC and tumor adjacent specimens. Results The index of apoptotic cells scattered in HCC tissue was significantly lower than that in adjacent tissue. However, the index of PCNA was much higher in HCC than that in adjacent tissue. Importantly, the apoptotic index of stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, Ⅲ and Ⅳ of HCC was 0.53, 0.42, 0.20, 0.21 and the index of PCNA was 0.06 , 0.41 , 0.63, 0.80, respectively. There was a marked statistical difference ( P 0.01) both in the index of PCNA and apoptosis among the various stages. The p53 expression in HCC increased with Edmondson stages. However, the Fas expression was at low level. Conclusion Tumor differentiation is positively correlated to the apoptotic index but negatively to the index of PCNA in HCC. The apoptosis in HCC occurs in a p53 dependent manner. The higher mutant of p53 and the lower regulation of Fas expression may contribute to the genesis and progression of HCC.