[Expression of metastasis suppressor gene nm23 in human hepatocellular carcinoma]

For the purpose of investigating the relationship between the metastatic potential of the tumor as well as the expression of nm23-H1 mRNA, and for determing the location of the positive sites in the cells, tumor metastasis suppressor gene nm23-H1 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (and the nonneoplastic area surrounding the tumor) was detected by in situ hybridization using digoxiginin-labeled nm23-H1 antisense complementary RNA probe. The primary results indicated (i) positive results of in situ hybridization are presence of granules or masses in the cytoplasm; (ii) the less expression of nm23-H1 mRNA, the higher metastatic rate of the human hepatocellular carcinoma (P < 0.05); (iii) expression of nm23-H1 mRNA dose not correlate with some other factors such as tumor size and the background of other liver diseases.