Background & objective: It has been reported that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) expresses gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) with unique carbohydrate moieties compared with normal liver GGT enzymes, this unique GGT was used as a marker for the diagnosis of HCC. However, the genomic changes in GGT relating to the development of HCC are not known. This study was designed to explore the relationship between alteration in GGTmRNA subtypes and the development of HCC, and to seek a new method for early diagnosis of HCC.
Methods: Three GGTmRNA subtypes (F, H, P) were determined bu using RT-PCR in normal liver tissues, diseased liver tissues without HCC, cancerous and noncancerous tissues from the livers with HCC, noncancerous tissues from secondary carcinoma of liver and peripheral blood of all cases.
Results: The main subtype of GGTmRNA was type F in normal liver tissues, liver tissues from noncancerous liver diseases and paracancerous tissues from secondary carcinoma of liver. The prevalence of subtype H was significantly higher in cancerous tissues, adjacent paracancerous and distal cancerous tissues from the livers with HCC than that in tissues from normal livers and noncancerous liver diseases (P < 0.05). The prevalence of subtype F in cancerous tissues was significantly lower than that in tissues from normal livers and noncancerous liver diseases (P < 0.05). Among 26 patients with HCC, GGTmRNA-H in peripheral blood was found in 12 cases. In 10 HCC patients with negative AFP, GGTmRNA-H in peripheral blood was found in 5 cases.
Conclusions: The changes of GGTmRNA subtypes are closely related to the development of HCC, and the analysis of GGT genes might be a sensitive assay to monitor the hepatic cell canceration.