[Expression and prognostic value of Polo-like kinase 1, E-cadherin in the patients with hepatocellular carcinoma]

Abstract

Objectives: To study the expression of Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) and E-cadherin in the tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma, and to discuss the relationship between them and clinical-pathological features, and to evaluate their prognostic value of hepatocellular carcinoma after liver transplantation.

Methods: mRNA and protein expression of PLK1, E-cadherin were detected by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry method respectively, the correlations of them with clinical-pathological data, tumor free time, recurrence rate were compared and analyzed.

Results: The mRNA expression was observed in 90.0% for PLK1 and 96.0% for E-cadherin, and higher in cancerous' tissues than paracancerous' of all cases for PLK1 but no trend for E-cadherin. The positive and decreased expression rate for PLK1 and E-cadherin was observed in 60.0% and 50.0% respectively, the positive PLK1 expression was correlated with preoperative serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) only (chi2 = 4.433, P = 0.035), while E-cadherin expression was associated with none of the clinical-pathological features. There was a correlation between the positive PLK1 and decreased E-cadherin expression (chi2 = 5.333, P = 0.021). PLK1 (P = 0.006), E-cadherin (P = 0.019) and larger tumor (P = 0.019), portal vein tumor thrombi (P = 0.030), Edmondson grading (P = 0.019), preoperative serum AFP (P = 0.020) were all correlated with recurrence rate under Kaplan-Meier analysis, while only PLK1 (RR = 3.104, P = 0.009) had significant difference under Cox regression analysis.

Conclusions: The positive PLK1 expression and the decreased E-cadherin expression indicate higher recurrence rate of HCC after liver transplantation, and PLK1 is a independent risk factor.