Reduced p27Kip1 expression in hepatocellular carcinomas.

This study was designed to determine whether changes in p27Kip1 expression are involved in human hepatocarcinogenesis. We examined the p27Kip1 mRNA expression in hepatocellular carcinomas and surrounding non-cancerous liver tissue samples from 21 patients using a reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay. The mean p27Kip1 mRNA expression levels (ratio of p27Kip1/beta-actin mRNA) were significantly lower in hepatocellular carcinomas than in non-cancerous liver tissues (0.49 +/- 0.24 versus 0.57 +/- 0.22, P < 0.05). p27Kip1 mRNA expression was reduced in 11 (52%) of the 21 hepatocellular carcinomas when compared with the surrounding non-cancerous liver tissues. These findings suggest that reduced p27Kip1 expression may be at least partly responsible for human hepatocarcinogenesis.