[Increased coronin-1C expression is related to hepatocellular carcinoma invasion and metastasis].

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To search for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) invasion related biomarkers using the cell membrane proteomics approaches, and to validate the markers using experimental and clinical specimens. METHODS: The HCCLM9 and MHCC97L cells with a similar genetic background and remarkably different metastasis behaviors were used for comparative membrane proteome profiling using sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry technologies. Candidate protein makers were further validated by western blot on cells, immunohistochemistry (IHC) on animal tumor tissues, and tissue micro-array on clinical specimens. RESULTS: The membrane proteins of MHCC97L and HCCLM9 cells were compared by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analyses. 14 proteins were identified by ESI-MS/MS among the differential bands. Coronin-1C was overexpressed in HCCLM9 (7.31+/-0.73) versus MHCC97L (2.84+/-0.99) validated by western blot. Elevated coronin-1C expression was observed in liver cancer tissues of HCCLM9 nude mice. IHC study in 115 human HCC specimens demonstrated that patients with higher coronin-1C expression had more advanced stage. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that coronin-1C could be a potential molecule to predict HCC invasive behavior.