OBJECTIVE: Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has many biological functions, including mitogenesis, tumorigenesis, and proliferation of epidermal tissues. Previous studies have reported that the EGF +61 (A/G) single nucleotide polymorphism in the 5'-untranslated region of the EGF gene is functional, and is associated with development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in liver cirrhosis and various malignancy. Our aim was to investigate whether EGF gene A61G polymorphism could be implicated in susceptibility to and/or clinicopathological characteristics of HCC in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. METHODS: This polymorphism was studied in 387 patients with chronic HBV infection and in 208 healthy volunteers using restriction fragment-length polymorphism. The patients were divided into two groups: those without (n = 172) and those with HCC (n = 215). These 215 HCC patients with chronic HBV infection were designated as cases, and the remaining 172 patients without HCC served as controls. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in EGF genotype or allelic frequencies between cases and controls nor was EGF genotype or allelic frequencies associated with tumour number, size, growth phase, stage, and invasiveness. We also found ethnic heterogeneity in the functional EGF polymorphism. CONCLUSIONS: The present results show that although EGF gene A61G polymorphism is associated with development of HCC in liver cirrhosis, it is not sufficient for HCC in Chinese patients with chronic HBV infection.
OBJECTIVE:Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has many biological functions, including mitogenesis, tumorigenesis, and proliferation of epidermal tissues. Previous studies have reported that the EGF +61 (A/G) single nucleotide polymorphism in the 5'-untranslated region of the EGF gene is functional, and is associated with development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in liver cirrhosis and various malignancy. Our aim was to investigate whether EGF gene A61G polymorphism could be implicated in susceptibility to and/or clinicopathological characteristics of HCC in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. METHODS: This polymorphism was studied in 387 patients with chronic HBV infection and in 208 healthy volunteers using restriction fragment-length polymorphism. The patients were divided into two groups: those without (n = 172) and those with HCC (n = 215). These 215 HCC patients with chronic HBV infection were designated as cases, and the remaining 172 patients without HCC served as controls. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in EGF genotype or allelic frequencies between cases and controls nor was EGF genotype or allelic frequencies associated with tumour number, size, growth phase, stage, and invasiveness. We also found ethnic heterogeneity in the functional EGF polymorphism. CONCLUSIONS: The present results show that although EGF gene A61G polymorphism is associated with development of HCC in liver cirrhosis, it is not sufficient for HCC in Chinese patients with chronic HBV infection.
Authors: Siwen Hu-Lieskovan; Daniel Vallbohmer; Wu Zhang; Dongyun Yang; Alexander Pohl; Melissa J Labonte; Peter P Grimminger; Arnulf H Hölscher; Robert Semrau; Dirk Arnold; Kathrin Dellas; Annelies Debucquoy; Karin Haustermans; Jean-Pascal H Machiels; Christine Sempoux; Claus Rödel; Matej Bracko; Vaneja Velenik; Heinz-Josef Lenz Journal: Clin Cancer Res Date: 2011-06-14 Impact factor: 12.531
Authors: S Cmet; C Fabris; G Fattovich; E Falleti; D Bitetto; A Cussigh; E Fontanini; E Fornasiere; M Pirisi; P Toniutto Journal: Clin Exp Immunol Date: 2012-02 Impact factor: 4.330