Smad2 and Smad4 gene mutations in hepatocellular carcinoma.

TGF-beta is a negative regulator of liver growth. Smad family of genes, as mediators of TGF-beta pathway, are candidate tumor suppressor genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We studied 35 HCC and non-tumour liver tissues for possible mutations in Smad2 and Smad4 genes. Three tumours displayed somatic mutations; two in Smad4 (Asp332Gly and Cys401Arg) and one in Smad2 (Gln407Arg) genes. All three mutations were A:T --> G:C transitions suspected to result from oxidative stress as observed in mitochondrial DNA. These observation demonstrate that TGF-beta pathway is altered in hepatocellular carcinoma.