Expression of aquaglyceroporin 7 in human hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract:

Objective：To determine whether human hepatocytes express aquaglyceroporin 7（AQP7），to detect the differential expression of AQP7 in human hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC） tissues，pair-matched non-tumourigenic liver（NTL） tissues and normal liver（NL） tissues，to investigate its correlation with the occurrence and progress of HCC. Methods：Fresh frozen HCC tissues and pair-matched NTL tissues were collected from 34 patients diagnosed with HCC，and NL tissues were collected from 4 patients with hepatic heman－gioma. AQP7 gene and protein expression of the three kinds of tissues was detected by real-time PCR，Western blot and immunohis－tochemical method. Then the correlation analysis between AQP7 expression and clinical features was done. Results：AQP7 was ex－pressed in hepatocytes，both intracellular and in membrane localized. Both levels of AQP7 mRNA and protein were significantly lower in HCC tissues than in NTL and NL tissues. No obvious difference in AQP7 mRNA and protein levels was found between NTL and NL tissues. AQP7 mRNA levels were not statistically different between NL group and NTL group（P=0.072）. AQP7 protein levels were not statistically different between NL group and NTL group（t=0.264，P=0.798）. AQP7 protein levels were lower in HCC group than in NTL group（t=7.333，P=0.000） and NL group（t=5.648，P=0.011）. Low expression of AQP7 in HCC was correlated with the lymphatic metastasis and the reduction of AQP7 was greater among the patients with lymphatic metastasis（t=-2.837，P=0.008）. Re－gression equation：Y=1.612-0.472 X7（F=8.048，P=0.008）. Conclusion：AQP7 is expressed in hepatocytes，both intracellular and in membrane localized. AQP7 decreases expression in HCC tissues. And the reduction of AQP7 is greater among the patients with lym－phatic metastasis.