Abnormal expression of fibrinogen gamma (FGG) and plasma level of fibrinogen in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

UNLABELLED: Abnormal expression of genes has been related to progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study investigated the mRNA expression of fibrinogen gamma (FGG) in HCC and levels of plasma fibrinogen of patients with HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Northern blot and semiquantitative RT-PCR were performed to determine the mRNA transcription of FGG. The plasma fibrinogen was measured quantitatively by the von Clauss method. RESULTS: FGG was significantly up-regulated at the mRNA level in the SMMC-7721 and HepG2 HCC cell lines. FGG mRNA transcript was also up-regulated in HCC tissues when compared to non-cancerous adjacent tissues as control. The laboratory investigation of blood samples from 114 HCC patients showed significantly higher levels of plasma fibrinogen compared to healthy persons as control (3.75+/-1.41 vs. 2.90+/-0.46 g l(-1)) (p<0.01). Moreover, plasma fibrinogen increased progressively with the tumor clinical stage of HCC patients. By multivariate logistic regression analysis, a positive level of plasma fibrinogen was found to have a significant correlation with the presence of tumor thrombosis. CONCLUSION: FGG mRNA was expressed abnormally in HCC and elevated plasma fibrinogen may serve as a useful predictor of clinical progression of HCC patients.

Messenger RNA expression of translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) in liver regeneration and cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Translationally controlled tumor protein (TCTP) was recently reported to be involved in tumor reversion. In order to understand TCTP mRNA transcript in proliferative tissue and malignant lesions, the mRNA expression of TCTP was determined in a rat model of liver regeneration and human liver cancer tissues. In addition, the potential role of TCTP on suppression of liver cancer was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Liver regeneration model was established by a two-thirds partial hepatectomy (PH) in adult, male Sprague-Dawley rat. TCTP mRNA expression was determined by semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis. Antisense mRNA of TCTP was transfected into the SMMC-7721 liver cancer cell line. Biological assay of proliferation and cell cycle were analysed by MTT and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS: After PH of rats, the level of TCTP mRNA transcript was upregulated slightly in liver tissue at 1 hour followed by a high expression from 3 to 12 hours, which then decreased dramatically at 24 hours before returning to original level during liver tissue proliferation. TCTP mRNA transcript increased significantly in liver cancer tissues when compared to non-cancerous adjacent tissues as control. The transfection with antisense oligodeoxynucleotides of TCTP led to decreased proliferation of SMMC-7721 cells resulting in cell cycle arrest and pro-apoptosis. CONCLUSION: The results suggested that TCTP mRNA expression might be stage-specific in the proliferation of liver tissue but alter abnormally in cancer lesions. TCTP could be used as a potential target for suppression of liver tumorigenicity.

[On the phenomenon of lexical gap in English translation of TCM terms].

Through multi-angular analysis on the phenomena of lexical gap in English translation of TCM terms and combining with the practice in translating work, the basic principles and strategies that ought to be adopted in English translating TCM vacant terms (TCM terms lacking for counterparts) were summarized on the basis of displaying fully the intention of the terms, and their significance in researches for normalization of TCM terms translation was discussed.