Identification of liver-intestine cadherin in hepatocellular carcinoma--a potential disease marker

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2003 Nov 21;311(3):618-24. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2003.10.032.

Abstract

Liver-intestine cadherin (LI-cad) is a non-classical cadherin, which is expressed during intestinal development, but absent in normal liver tissue. Our earlier investigation has detected overexpression of LI-cad in gastric adenocarcinoma and indicated its association with lymph node metastasis. Herein, we found in RT-PCR and TaqMan Q-PCR that LI-cad was identified in HCC cell lines, HuH-7, Hep-3B, and PLC/PRF/5, but not in MIHA and HepG2 non-tumorigenic cells. Immunofluorescence cytochemistry assay revealed that the LI-cad was predominantly expressed in cytoplasm of HCC cells, contrary to that of E-cad immunostain at the plasma membrane region. By testing against 18 pairs of HCC and adjacent non-tumor tissues, 13 cases (72.2%) showed over expression of LI-cad in HCC tissues, 2 cases (11.1%) were similar, and 3 cases did not yield detectable signal. None of the 6 normal liver specimens tested was positive with LI-cad. Taken together, LI-cad could be a potential disease marker for HCC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor*
  • Cadherins*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / metabolism*
  • Carrier Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Male
  • Membrane Transport Proteins*
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Middle Aged
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • CDH17 protein, human
  • Cadherins
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Membrane Transport Proteins
  • intestinal peptide-proton cotransporter