[Retracted] Functional characterization of the nitrogen permease regulator­like­2 candidate tumor suppressor gene in colorectal cancer cell lines.

Following the publication of this paper, it was drawn to the Editor's attention by a concerned reader that certain of the microscopic images shown in Fig. 1C on p. 3489 and the invasion assay images shown in Fig. 5 on p. 3491 were strikingly similar to data appearing in different form in other articles written by different authors at different research institutes. Moreover, unexpected similarities were identified comparing between a pair of the flow cytometric assay data panels in Fig. 4 on p. 3490, considering that these data were intended to show the results from differently performed experiments. Owing to the fact that the contentious data in the above article had already been published, or were already under consideration for publication, prior to its submission to Molecular Medicine Reports, the Editor has decided that this paper should be retracted from the Journal. The authors were asked for an explanation to account for these concerns, but the Editorial Office did not receive a reply. The Editor apologizes to the readership for any inconvenience caused. [Molecular Medicine Reports 12: 3487­3493, 2015; DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2015.3881].

Bortezomib protects against dextran sulfate sodium­induced ulcerative colitis in mice.

Bortezomib, a first­in­class proteasome inhibitor, is a standard method of treatment in multiple myeloma. In the present study, the therapeutic effect of bortezomib was evaluated in an ulcerative colitis model induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in mice, and the mechanism of action was also investigated. Mice were administered with 3% DSS drinking water for 7 consecutive days and then they were intraperitoneally treated with bortezomib (0.2, 0.6 or 1 mg/kg) for 1, 3 or 7 days. Mice in the control group and the DSS group were provided the same volume of PBS, respectively. Body weight, stool characteristics and hematochezia were observed. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor­α (TNF­α), C­reactive protein (CRP), albumin (ALB) and colonic activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) were evaluated using specific kits. The expression of the transcription factor nuclear factor­κB (NF­κB) p65 gene and the DNA­binding activity of NF­κB protein were also evaluated. Administration of bortezomib attenuates colonic inflammation in mice. After 3 or 7 days of treatment, Disease Activity Index (DAI) as well as histological scores and NF­κB p65 protein expression were significantly reduced in mice treated with bortezomib at a dose of 0.6 or 1 mg/kg/day. Furthermore, it was also revealed that bortezomib was able to reduce serum levels of CRP and TNF­α caused by DSS and increase the level of ALB in serum and the activity of SOD in colonic tissues. These results demonstrated that bortezomib exerts a protective effect on DSS­induced colitis, and its underlying mechanisms are associated with the NF­κB gene inhibition that mitigates colon inflammatory responses in intestinal epithelial cells.

Vatalanib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, decreases hepatic fibrosis and sinusoidal capillarization in CCl4-induced fibrotic mice.

Among the various consequence arising from lung injury, hepatic fibrosis is the most severe. Decreasing the effects of hepatic fibrosis remains one of the primary therapeutic challenges in hepatology. Dysfunction of hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells is considered to be one of the initial events that occur in liver injury. Vascular endothelial growth factor signaling is involved in the progression of genotype changes. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, vatalanib, on hepatic fibrosis and hepatic sinusoidal capillarization in a carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)­induced mouse model of liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis was induced in BALB/c mice using CCl4 by intraperitoneal injection for 6 weeks. The four experimental groups included a control, and three experimental groups involving administration of CCl4, vatalanib and a combination of the two. Histopathological staining and measuring live hydroxyproline content evaluated the extent of liver fibrosis. The expression of α­smooth muscle actin (SMA) and cluster of differentiation (CD) 34 was detected by immunohistochemistry. Collagen type I, α­SMA, transforming growth factor (TGF)­ß1 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) expression levels were measured by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT­qPCR). The average number of fenestrae per hepatic sinusoid was determined using transmission electron microscopy. Liver fibrosis scores and hydroxyproline content were decreased in both vatalanib groups. In addition, both doses of vatalanib decreased mRNA expression levels of hepatic α-SMA, TGF-ß1, collagen­1, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2. Levels of α­SMA and CD34 protein were decreased in the vatalanib group compared with the CCl4 group. There were significant differences in the number of fenestrae per sinusoid between the groups. The present study identified that administration of vatalanib was associated with decreased liver fibrosis and hepatic sinusoidal capillarization in CCl4-induced mouse models, and is a potential compound for counteracting liver fibrosis.

The therapeutic effect of CORM-3 on acute liver failure induced by lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine in mice.

BACKGROUND: Acute liver failure (ALF) is a severe and life-threatening clinical syndrome resulting in a high mortality and extremely poor prognosis. Recently, a water-soluble CO-releasing molecule (CORM-3) has been shown to have anti-inflammatory effect. The present study was to investigate the effect of CORM-3 on ALF and elucidate its underlying mechanism. METHODS: ALF was induced by a combination of LPS/D-GalN in mice which were treated with CORM-3 or inactive CORM-3 (iCORM-3). The efficacy of CORM-3 was evaluated based on survival, liver histopathology, serum aminotransferase activities (ALT and AST) and total bilirubin (TBiL). Serum levels of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-1beta and IL-10) and liver immunohistochemistry of NF-kappaB-p65 were determined; the expression of inflammatory mediators such as iNOS, COX-2 and TLR4 was measured using Western blotting. RESULTS: The pretreatment with CORM-3 significantly improved the liver histology and the survival rate of mice compared with the controls; CORM-3 also decreased the levels of ALT, AST and TBiL. Furthermore, CORM-3 significantly inhibited the increased concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-1beta) and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) productions in ALF mice. Moreover, CORM-3 significantly reduced the increased expression of iNOS and TLR4 in liver tissues and inhibited the nuclear expression of NF-kappaB-p65. CORM-3 had no effect on the increased expression of COX-2 in the ALF mice. An iCORM-3 failed to prevent acute liver damage induced by LPS/D-GalN. CONCLUSION: These findings provided evidence that CORM-3 may offer a novel alternative approach for the management of ALF through anti-inflammatory functions.

Human recombinant endostatin Endostar attenuates hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell capillarization in CCl4­induced fibrosis in mice.

The aim of the present study was to detect the effect of the recombinant human endostatin Endostar on hepatic sinusoidal capillarization in CCl4­induced murine models of liver fibrosis. The liver fibrosis model was induced in BALB/c mice using intraperitoneal injection of CCl4 for 6 weeks. Animals were divided into the following six treatment groups: Group 1, normal animals; group 2, CCl4­induced liver fibrosis; group 3, CCl4+Endostar 20 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks; group 4, CCl4+Endostar 10 mg/kg/day for 6 weeks; group 5, CCl4+Endostar 20 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks; and group 6, CCl4+Endostar 10 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks. The average number of fenestrae per hepatic sinusoid was determined using transmission electron microscopy. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and VEGF receptor (VEGFR) 1 and 2 expression was detected by western blot analysis. There were significant differences in the number of fenestrae per sinusoid between the normal control and untreated model fibrotic mice (P<0.01), and between the untreated model and Endostar­treated mice (P<0.05). Endostar treatment was associated with reduced levels of VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 in liver tissues (P<0.01), as well as with decreased hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell capillarization in CCl4­induced mouse models of liver fibrosis, and this effect may involve the VEGF pathway. However, further studies are required to confirm its involvement in other causes of liver fibrosis.

Functional characterization of the nitrogen permease regulator-like-2 candidate tumor suppressor gene in colorectal cancer cell lines.

The nitrogen permease regulator­like­2 (NPRL2) gene is a candidate tumor suppressor gene, which has been identified in the 3p21.3 human chromosome region. Decreased expression levels of NPRL2 have been observed in colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues, however, the function of NPRL2 in CRC progression remains to be fully elucidated. The present study investigated the biological characteristics of the HCT116 and HT29 CRC cell lines overexpressing exogenous NPRL2. NPRL2 recombinant lentiviral vectors were also constructed and transfected in the present study. Cell growth was determined using a Cell Counting Kit­8 assay and a colony formation assay. The cell cycle and rate of apoptosis were assessed using flow cytometric analysis. Transwell assays were used to evaluate cell invasion. The protein expression of phosphorylated (p)­AKT and caspase 3, B­cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) and Bcl­2­associated X protein apoptosis­associated genes, were detected using western blotting. The results revealed that NPRL2 overexpression inhibited cell growth, induced cell cycle G1 phase arrest, promoted apoptosis and inhibited invasion in the two human CRC cell lines. Furthermore, the protein expression levels of p­AKT and Bcl2 were significantly reduced in the NPRL2­transfected HCT116 and HT29 cells, compared with the mock­transfected group and control group, while the protein expression of caspase­3 was increased. Therefore, NPRL2 acted as a functional tumor suppressor in the CRC cell lines.

Nitrogen permease regulator-like 2 enhances sensitivity to oxaliplatin in colon cancer cells.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide. Chemotherapeutic compounds used for the treatment of CRC include oxaliplatin (L-OHP). While L-OHP improves CRC survival, certain patients are resistant. The nitrogen permease regulator like-2 (NPRL2) gene is a candidate tumor suppressor gene that resides in a 120-kb homozygous deletion region on chromosome 3p21.3. In the present study, it was demonstrated that NPRL2 overexpression increases the sensitivity of HCT116 cells to L-OHP. The IC50 of L-OHP was decreased in cells transduced with NPRL2 compared with negative control (NC) cells and the effect of NPRL2 on L-OHP sensitivity was time dependent. Following NPRL2 transduction in HCT116 cells, the cell cycle was arrested in the G1 phase and a partial decrease in the S phase population was observed. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that NPRL2 transduction and L-OHP treatment increased apoptosis compared with NC cells. The mechanism through which NPRL2 overexpression enhances L-OHP sensitivity involves downregulation of the functions of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin network. Furthermore, L-OHP upregulated caspase-3 and caspase-9 to promote apoptosis in NPRL2-overexpressing cells compared with cells that were transduced with NPRL2 or treated with L-OHP and NC cells (P<0.01). NPRL2 overexpression led to the downregulation of CD24, which could significantly reduce tumor invasiveness and decrease the metastatic capacity of HCT116 cells. These mechanisms are likely active in other types of cancer and may be exploited for the development of novel cancer therapies.

Functional mechanism of the enhancement of 5-fluorouracil sensitivity by TUSC4 in colon cancer cells.

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is the chemotherapeutic drug of choice for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). Tumor suppressor candidate 4 (TUSC4), also referred to as nitrogen permease regulator-like 2 (NPRL2), is located at chromosome 3p21.3 and expressed in numerous normal tissues, including the heart, liver, skeletal muscle, kidney, and pancreas. The aim of the present study was to investigate the functional mechanism by which TUSC4 affects sensitivity to 5-FU and to determine its clinical significance in CRC. The results of the present study demonstrated that TUSC4 overexpression increases the sensitivity of HCT116 cells to 5-FU. The IC50 of 5-FU was reduced in cells transduced with TUSC4 compared with negative control (NC) cells, and the effect of TUSC4 on 5-FU sensitivity was time dependent. Following TUSC4 transduction in HCT116 cells, a proportion of the cells were arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and a reduction in the S phase population was observed. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that TUSC4 transduction and 5-FU treatment increased apoptosis compared with NC cells. The mechanism through which TUSC4 overexpression enhances 5-FU sensitivity involves the downregulation of the function of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR network. Furthermore, 5-FU upregulated caspase-3 and caspase-9, promoting apoptosis in TUSC4-overexpressing cells compared with cells that were transduced with TUSC4 or treated with 5-FU and NC cells. The findings of the present study indicate that TUSC4 has potential as a biomarker for the prediction of the response to 5-FU and prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer and other types of human cancer. TUSC4 may also act as a molecular therapeutic agent for enhancing the patient's response to 5-FU treatment.

Endostar, a novel human recombinant endostatin, attenuates liver fibrosis in CCl4-induced mice.

Decreasing hepatic fibrosis remains one of the major therapeutic challenges in hepatology. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of Endostar on both CCl4-induced liver fibrosis in mice and a hepatic stellate cell (HSC) line. Two main models were studied: (i) a liver fibrosis model was induced in BALB/c mice using CCl4 by intraperitoneal injection for six weeks. Six animal groups were studied: group 1: normal animals; group 2: CCl4-induced liver fibrosis; group 3: CCl4 + Endostar 20 mg/kg/d, six weeks; group 4: CCl4 + Endostar 10 mg/kg/d, six weeks; group 5: CCl4 + Endostar 20 mg/kg/d, four weeks; group 6: CCl4 + Endostar 10 mg/kg/d, four weeks corresponded to different Endostar doses and duration of administration. Liver fibrosis was evaluated by histopathological staining and liver hydroxyproline content. Expressions of collagen type I, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), TGF-ß1 and VEGFR were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). (ii) A liver cell model. HSC-T6 cells were cultured with or without Endostar for 12 h or 24 h. Expressions of collagen type I, α-SMA, and TGF-ß1 were measured by real-time PCR. Collagen I and transforming growth factor ß1 (TGF-ß1) contents in cell supernatant were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. As compared to the group without Endostar, liver fibrosis scores and hydroxyproline content were decreased in both Endostar groups (P < 0.05). Moreover, Endostar inhibited the hepatic expression of α-SMA, TGF-ß1, Collagen-1, VEGFR1, and VEGFR2 mRNA (P < 0.05). In the HSC-T6 cell line model, Endostar profoundly inhibited the expression of α-SMA, Collagen-1, and TGF-ß1 mRNA. Expressions of Collagen-1 and TGF-ß1 protein were decreased in the Endostar group as compared to the normal controls in the supernatant of HSC-T6 cells (P < 0.05). Endostar decreased both liver fibrosis in CCl4-induced mice and collagen synthesis in HSCs in vitro. Therefore, this recombinant human endostatin is a promising compound for counteracting liver fibrosis.

Relationship between tumor and peripheral blood NPRL2 mRNA levels in patients with colorectal adenoma and colorectal cancer.

NPRL2 is a tumor suppressor gene involved in the progression of human cancer. The present study investigated whether NPRL2 expression correlates with colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. Colorectal tissue and peripheral blood samples were obtained from 62 patients with CRC, 38 patients with colorectal adenomas and 51 normal controls. NPRL2 mRNA levels in tissue samples and blood were measured using quantitative real-time PCR. NPRL2 protein expression was determined by immunohistochemistry. NPRL2 protein expression in CRCs was significantly lower than in the adenomas or normal colorectal tissue. NPRL2 mRNA expression was significantly decreased in adenomas compared with normal controls (P<0.0001) and it was further decreased in colorectal tumors compared with adenomas (P<0.0001). NPRL2 mRNA levels expression correlated with tumor stage. In addition, NPRL2 mRNA levels in the blood correlated with the levels detected in tumors. Furthermore, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that NPRL2 expression in blood could distinguish colorectal adenomas and CRCs from normal controls. NPRL2 mRNA expression in CRC tumor tissues and peripheral blood correlated with colorectal tumor progression. Based on our findings, we can conclude that NPRL2 mRNA blood levels could be a potentially useful marker for the detection of early stage adenomas and CRCs.

Tunneling endoscopic muscularis dissection for subepithelial tumors originating from the muscularis propria of the esophagus and gastric cardia.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Endoscopic resection of esophageal or cardial subepithelial tumors (SETs) originating from the muscularis propria (MP) is rarely done due to the high risk of perforation, fistula formation, and secondary infection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the preliminary clinical feasibility and safety of tunneling endoscopic muscularis dissection (tEMD) for resection of SETs located in the esophagus and gastric cardia METHODS: Twelve patients with SETs originating from the MP of the esophagus (n = 7) or cardia (n = 5) were treated by tEMD. The procedure included creation of a submucosal tunnel to reach the tumor, dissection of the tumor from the surrounding submucosal tissue and the unaffected MP layer, full-thickness resection of the tumor and affected MP, and subsequent closure of the tunnel mucosal entry with endoscopic clips. RESULTS: The en bloc resection rate was 100 % (seven lesions affected the deep MP so complete MP resection was performed; five lesions affected the superficial MP for a partial MP resection). The average tumor size was 18.5 ± 6.9 (range 10-30) mm. The mean operating time was 78.3 ± 25.5 (range 50-130) min. The histological diagnoses were two gastrointestinal stromal tumors with very low risk, nine leiomyomas, and one schwannoma. Air leakage and effusion included subcutaneous and mediastinal emphysema in eight patients (66.7 %), pneumothorax in four (33.3 %), pneumoperitoneum in three (25.0 %), and small pleural effusion in two (16.7 %). All air leakage and effusion cases were resolved with conservative management. No patient developed delayed hemorrhage and chronic fistula after tEMD. During the mean follow-up time of 7.1 ± 4.3 (range 2-15) months, no tumor recurrence was found in any patient. CONCLUSIONS: tEMD appears to be a feasible minimally invasive and effective treatment for patients with SETs originating from the MP layer of the esophagus and cardia.

Ex vivo-expanded bone marrow stem cells home to the liver and ameliorate functional recovery in a mouse model of acute hepatic injury.

BACKGROUND: Stem cell transplantation provides a theoretical approach for liver regeneration medicine; it may promote liver regeneration and self-repair. However, the transplantation of bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells expanded ex vivo as a therapy for liver disease has rarely been investigated. This study aimed to explore whether bone marrow stem cells expanded ex vivo home to the liver and foster hepatic recovery after CCl4 injury. METHODS: Bone marrow cells from BALB/c mice were expanded ex vivo by multiple-passage cultivation, characterized by cytoflow immunofluorescence, and pre-labeled with PKH26 before intravenous infusion into animals treated with CCl4. The integration of bone marrow cells into the liver was examined microscopically, and plasma hepatic enzymes were determined biochemically. RESULTS: Cultured bone marrow cells exhibited antigenic profiles comparable to those of primary medullary stem cells. Double immunofluorescence showed colocalization of these cells with proliferative activity and albumin expression in the liver of CCl4-treated mice. Densitometry showed increased in situ cell proliferation (50+/-14 vs 20+/-3 cells/high-power field, P<0.05) and albumin expression (149+/-25 vs 20+/-5 cells/high-power field, P<0.05) in the liver, as well as reduced serum aminotransferase levels (P<0.05) and better survival rates (P<0.05) in animals receiving cultured bone marrow cells relative to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Ex vivo-expanded bone marrow cells are capable of relocating to and proliferating in the chemically-injured liver. Transplantation of these pluripotent stem cells appears to improve serum indices of liver function and survival rate in mice after CCl4-induced hepatic damage.

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphism and ulcerative colitis susceptibility in Han Chinese.

OBJECTIVE: Specific polymorphisms in the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene have been associated with genetic susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in different ethnic populations. METHODS: A total of 218 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients and 251 healthy controls were genotyped for VDR gene polymorphisms using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay. VDR gene polymorphisms (Apa I, Taq I, Bsm I and Fok I) were analyzed for both genotypic and phenotypic susceptibilities. RESULTS: Among the four examined VDR gene polymorphisms, the Bsm I polymorphism showed a slightly higher distribution in our study population than that in the previous studies. We also found that the increased frequency of the Bb genotype of the Bsm I VDR gene polymorphism was associated with UC in Han Chinese, as compared with healthy controls (28.4% vs. 18.7%, χ(2) = 6.044, P = 0.014, OR = 1.739, 95% CI = 1.122-2.697). Moreover, Bsm I polymorphic allele (B) frequency was significantly increased in the UC cases, as compared to the healthy controls (14.7% vs. 7.8% χ(2) = 6.222, P = 0.013; OR = 1.670, 95% CI = 1.113-2.506). In contrast, the other three VDR gene polymorphisms (Apa I, Taq I and Fok I) were not associated with UC susceptibility in the Han Chinese cohort. In addition, none of these four VDR polymorphisms had statistical association with clinicopathological parameters of these UC patients. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated a probable association of the Bsm I polymorphism of the VDR gene with ulcerative colitis susceptibility in Han Chinese.

Hepatocyte growth factor promotes liver regeneration induced by transfusion of bone marrow mononuclear cells in a murine acute liver failure model.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Bone marrow mononuclear cell (BMMC) transplantation has been shown to facilitate tissue and organ regeneration and repair. BMMC transplantation may be a potential therapy for acute liver failure, and its effect might be further improved. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plays an important role in liver cell development, and may ameliorate hepatic fibrosis or cirrhosis in animal models. We therefore explored a potential synergistic effect of the co-application of HGF and BMMCs in liver regeneration following carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4))-induced acute hepatic injury. METHODS: We established a murine acute liver failure model induced by CCl(4) administration, and studied the effect of BMMC transplantation in combination with HGF. We used 4 groups of animals, one group was transfused with PKH26-labeled BMMCs (5 × 10(6)) and HGF [50 ng/(kg days) × 7 days] (BMMCs + HGF group), one group received BMMCs only, one group received HGF only, and one group received saline solution (0.9% NaCl) alone. The effects were examined by biochemical measurements of liver enzymes and quantitative image analysis for PKH26 labeling, and by determining proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and albumin expression 4 weeks after the BMMC transplantation. RESULTS: PKH26-labeled BMMCs were detected in transplanted mouse livers, most of which expressed PCNA. PCNA and albumin expressions were increased significantly in the BMMCs + HGF group compared with the expressions of these parameters in the other 3 groups. Liver function, reflected by serum aminotransferase activity, was also improved in the BMMCs + HGF group relative to that in the other groups. CONCLUSIONS: Data from the present study appear to suggest that BMMC transplantation combined with HGF administration exhibits a synergistic beneficial effect on improving both functional and histological liver recovery in a mouse model of acute liver failure.

[The role and significance of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway regulating the signaling molecules in hepatocellular carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role and significance of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway regulating GSK-3beta, STAT3, Smad3 and TERT in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: The HCC cell line HepG2 was transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) directed against beta-catenin. Proteins were extracted and the expressions of beta-catenin, GSK-3beta, p-GSK-3beta, STAT3, Smad3 and TERT were detected by Western blot at 72 h and 96 h respectively after transfection. RESULTS: beta-catenin expression was inhibited at both time points and the expression at 96 h was higher than that at 72 h (t = 4.43, P < 0.05). Interestingly, GSK-3beta and p-GSK-3beta expressions increased gradually at 72 and 96 h (tGSK-3beta= 4.98, tp-GSK-3beta= 29.83, P < 0.05) respectively, and STAT3 expression showed no alteration after transfection (F = 0.49, P > 0.05). Smad3 expression was increased at 72 h (t = 10.67, P < 0.05) and decreased to normal at 96 h (t = 1.26, P < 0.05), while TERT expression decreased at 72 h (t = 4.18, P is less than 0.05) and increased to normal at 96 h (t = 1.26, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway is related to the expressions of GSK-3beta, Smad3 and TERT, but perhaps not related to STAT3 protein expression in HCC. It suggested that Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway might participate in HCC genesis and development through regulating the above three factors.