Identification of FKBP11 as a biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma
I-Yin Lin1, Chia-Hung Yen, Yi-Jen Liao
1Institute of Public Health, School of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
Background:
Glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT) is a tumor suppressor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). High proportions of GNMT knockout mice developed HCC. We previously identified a potential novel marker from Gnmt knockout mice, FK506 binding protein 11 (FKBP11). Here, we determined the clinical usefulness of FKBP11.
Patients And Methods:
FKBP11 expression levels were analyzed in 123 paired tumor and tumor-adjacent non-tumorous (TA) tissue samples from patients with HCC and in 29 benign liver samples from patients with hemangioma using quantitative real-time polymerase-chain-reaction.
Results:
FKBP11 was expressed at a higher level in tumor tissues compared to TA tissues (p<0.01). Moreover, we observed a significantly higher level of FKBP11 in TA tissues than in benign liver samples (p<0.01). Interestingly, expression of FKBP11 was higher in hepatitis viral-infected TA and benign tissues than in samples without viral etiology (p<0.05).
Conclusion:
These results suggest a progressively elevated expression of FKBP11 during the development of HCC and FKBP11 has the potential to be an early marker for HCC.