The melanoma antigen gene and the expression of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 mRNA in Egyptian hepatocellular carcinoma patients: their clinicopathological and prognostic significance
by Laila H. El-Sayed, Amany A. Ghazy, Seham A. Abou-Shousha, Hossam M. Ghoneim, Wael A. El-Refaay, Essam A. Zaki, Elsayed E. Hafez, Mohammed A. Abdel Rahman
International Journal of Immunological Studies (IJIS), Vol. 1, No. 1, 2009

Abstract: In Egypt, the incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is predicted to increase significantly over the next decades due to the high prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV). This study investigated soluble Intracellular Adhesion Molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and Melanoma Antigen Genes (MAGE-1 and 3) expression in the Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) of HCC patients to evaluate their prognostic significance in early detection of HCC. The study was conducted on 35 HCC patients, ten cirrhotic patients and ten healthy volunteers. MAGE-1 and MAGE-3 transcripts were detected by conventional qualitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) while sICAM-1 transcripts were traced by quantitative Real Time-PCR (RT-PCR). MAGE-1, MAGE-3 and MAGE-1/3 transcripts were detected in 51.4%, 42.9% and 31.43% of HCC patients, respectively, while all cirrhotic patients and normal controls had negative results. MAGE gene expression was positively correlated to serum a-Fetoprotein (AFP), the stage of HCC and the size of the tumour, but not to age, sex or liver functions. sICAM-1 mRNA was significantly higher in HCC patients than in cirrhotic and normal individuals. These results indicate that routine follow up of sICAM-1 and MAGE-1/3 transcripts in PBMCs of patients with chronic liver disease might be useful in monitoring their possible progress towards malignancy.

Online publication date: Sat, 28-Feb-2009

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