Abstract:

Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of apolipoprotein F（APOF） and human insulin-like growth factor acid labile subunit （IGFALS） in primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Methods Levels of APOF and IGFALS mRNA were examined in 88 cases of human liver cancer and adjacent tissues and 6 cases of normal liver tissue using quantitative real-time PCR. Relationships between mRNA levels and clinico-pathological factors were analyzed. Results Levels of APOF mRNA were significantly lower in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues （0.156 ± 0.019） than in paracancerous tissue （0.971±0.018） or normal liver tissue （1.140±0.092）. Similarly，levels of IGFALS mRNA were significantly lower in hepatocellular carcinoma（0.111±0.016） than in adjacent tissues（1.090±0.054） or normal liver tissue （1.101±0.211，all P<0.05）. Expression of APOF was associated with portal vein invasion（P=0.004），while expression of IGFALS was associated with degree of differentiation and portal vein invasion （P<0.05）. Expression of APOF and IGFALS was lower among patients showing portal vein invasion than among those without portal vein invasion （P<0.05）. Expression of IGFALS was lower in the low-differentiation group than in the high-differentiation group（P<0.05）. Conclusions APOF and IGFALS are down-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues. Expression of the two genes positively correlates with each other，and their expression correlates with the extent of portal vein invasion and differentiation. These genes may be involved in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Key words: Liver neoplasms, APOF, IGFALS, Quantitative real-time PCR, Gene expression