BACKGROUND: Members of the protein kinase C (PKC) isoenzyme family play a central role in the tumorigenesis of several tissues. However, little is known about subtype specific intracellular expression of PKC in human hepatocellular carcinomas. METHODS: We investigated PKC isoforms mRNA expression in 42 HCC specimens using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis, and the correlation between PKC isoforms expression and clinicopathologic parameters. RESULTS: We found that PKCalpha, PKCdelta and PKCiota mRNA were significantly increased in HCCs as compared to the corresponding non-cancerous liver tissues. PKCalpha expression also significantly correlated with tumor size (P<0.05) and TNM stage (P<0.05), but PKCdelta and PKCiota did not. The log-rank analysis revealed that patients with higher PKCalpha mRNA expression in the HCC tissues had significantly shorter survival rate than patients with lower PKCalpha mRNA expression (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that the PKCalpha may be a prognostic factor for the survival of patients with HCC.
BACKGROUND: Members of the protein kinase C (PKC) isoenzyme family play a central role in the tumorigenesis of several tissues. However, little is known about subtype specific intracellular expression of PKC in humanhepatocellular carcinomas. METHODS: We investigated PKC isoforms mRNA expression in 42 HCC specimens using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis, and the correlation between PKC isoforms expression and clinicopathologic parameters. RESULTS: We found that PKCalpha, PKCdelta and PKCiota mRNA were significantly increased in HCCs as compared to the corresponding non-cancerous liver tissues. PKCalpha expression also significantly correlated with tumor size (P<0.05) and TNM stage (P<0.05), but PKCdelta and PKCiota did not. The log-rank analysis revealed that patients with higher PKCalpha mRNA expression in the HCC tissues had significantly shorter survival rate than patients with lower PKCalpha mRNA expression (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that the PKCalpha may be a prognostic factor for the survival of patients with HCC.
Authors: Ezra E W Cohen; Hongyan Zhu; Mark W Lingen; Leslie E Martin; Wen-Liang Kuo; Eugene A Choi; Masha Kocherginsky; Joel S Parker; Christine H Chung; Marsha Rich Rosner Journal: Cancer Res Date: 2009-01-01 Impact factor: 12.701