TGF-β1 mRNA detection in hepatoma tissue and circulating blood

Objective To investigate values of circulating TGF-β1 and its mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods Total RNAs were extracted from hepatomas,their adjacent tissues,and peripheral circulating blood,synthesized to TGF-β1 cDNA through random primers and reverse transcriptase,amplified by nested polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis,and their clinical values were investigated in patients with liver diseases.Results The final amplified products of TGF-β1-mRNA were 211bp and confirmed by DNA sequence.The sensitivity of assay was 2 ng/L.The incidence of TGF-β1-mRNA was 100% in HCC tissues,46.2% in their adjacent tissues,respectively.Its incidences in circulating blood were 53.3% in HCC,which was significantly higher than that in liver cirrhosis(20.0%),chronic hepatitis(5.0%),none in acute hepatitis,second ary HCC,other cancers and controls.The positive rate in HCC with stage Ⅲ was 83.3% and higher than that in stage Ⅰor Ⅱ,and 100% in HCC with extrahepatic metastasis.No statistical correlation was observed between blood TGF-β1-mRNA and AFP or tumor sizes.Conclusion The detections of TGF-β1 and TGF-β1 mRNA are helpful to diagnose HCC and surveillance of its metastasis.