[Expression of genes related to Sonic Hedgehog signaling in human hepatocellular carcinomas]

To investigate the expression status of Sonic Hedgehog signaling genes and molecules in human hepatocellular carcinomas(HCC), and to explore the relationship between these genes and clinical prognosis.

HCC tissue and adjacent normal tissue from 29 HCC patients were assayed for the expression of hedgehog signaling genes by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques and for the expression of hedgehog signaling molecules by immunohistochemistry. The expressions of Shh, Ptch, Smoh, Gli-1 mRNA were assayed as well as Shh, Ptch proteins in 29 cases of HCC and in 29 liver tissues adjacent to the tumor.

Expression of Shh mRNA was detectable in about 51% of HCCs examined. Consistent with this, hedgehog target genes Ptch, Smoh and Gli-1 mRNA were expressed in over 68%, 48% and 62% of the tumors, respectively, and the expressions of Shh and Ptch proteins in HCC tumor tissues correlated with those of Shh and Ptch mRNA in tumor tissues (P=0.041 and P=0.035). This suggested that the hedgehog pathway was frequently activated in HCCs. The simultaneous expression of Gli-1 in HCC and liver tissues adjacent to the tumor had significantly relationship with poor prognosis.

Hedgehog signaling activation is an important event for development of human HCCs. It also suggests that markers for hedgehog signaling activation may be useful for the determination of prognosis.