Increased expression of ZBP-89 and its prognostic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma

Zhang C Z Y, Cao Y, Yun J P, Chen G G & Lai P B S ?(2012) Histopathology similar to 60, 11141124 Increased expression of ZBP-89 and its prognostic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma Aims: ZBP-89 plays a role in cell growth and death. Its expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is not well documented. This study aimed to analyse ZBP-89 expression in HCC. Methods and results: We examined ZBP-89 expression in five HCC cell lines and 182 HCC tissue samples by reverse transcriptionpolymerase chain reaction (RTPCR), Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining. Our results showed that the expression of ZBP-89 was higher in HCC than adjacent non-tumour liver, at both mRNA and protein levels. ZBP-89 was localized in the nucleus in most HCC tissue samples, but was found in the cytoplasm in 11.5% of cases. Patient survival in those tumours showing high ZBP-89 expression was better than in those with low expression. High ZBP-89 expression tended to be more common in World Health Organization (WHO) grade I than grades IIIV HCC. There was a significant association between HBV positivity and high ZBP-89 expression. Colony formation was reduced dramatically in those HCC cell lines in which ZBP-89 overexpression was demonstrated; this appeared to correlate with increased apoptosis, inferred by finding elevated levels of cleaved poly(ADP-ribose)polymerases (PARP), the probable mechanisms for which may involve increased p53 or p21 expression. Conclusions: ZBP-89 has anti-tumour properties and is a potential biomarker for prognosis of HCC.