Levels of HBx, VEGF, and CEACAM1 in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma and their correlation with cancer prognosis

C.-S. Mao, H. Yin, H.-B. Ning, Z. Peng, K. Li, G.-Q. Ding

Department of Infectious Diseases, Henan Province People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China. dinggangqiangd@sina.com

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• Oncology

OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and carcinoembryonic antigen related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1), are related to HBV associated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study recruited HCC patients and employed the SMMC-7721 and L02 liver cell lines, to analyze the expression levels of HBx, VEGF and CEACAM1 in liver cancer and their correlation with the cancer prognosis.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: HBV-related HCC patients were recruited from our hospital. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blotting assay were used to detect the expression of HBx, VEGF and CEACAM1 in liver tissues. Multi-variant analysis and the correlation analysis between HBx, VEGF, CEACAM1 expression and clinical/pathological features of HCC were performed by using the Cox regression analysis.

RESULTS: In HBV-related HCC tissues, positive expression rates of HBx, CEACAM1, and VEGF, were 80%, 50%, and 65%, respectively. In HBx-positive group, positive rate for CEACAM1 and VEGF were 56.25% and 75%, while in HBx-negative group such figures were 75% and 25% (p<0.05). HCC cells had lower expression of CEACAM1 and higher VEGF levels compared to normal hepatocytes. Those HCC cells transfected with HBx had even lower CEACAM1 and higher VEGF levels compared to un-transfected cells. HBx was negatively correlated with CEACAM1 and positively correlated with VEGF. Expressions of these three factors were all independent risk factors as they were correlated with lesion size, venous infiltration, metastasis, and capsule.

CONCLUSIONS: HBx, VEGF and CEACAM1 were widely expressed in HBV-related HCC. HBx may facilitate occurrence and progression of HBV-related HCC via down-regulating CEACAM1 and up-regulating VEGF.

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