Aim: To investigate gene expression profiles of integrin genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) through the usage of Atlas Human Cancer Array membranes, semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Northern blot.
Methods: Hybridization of cDNA array membrane was performed with alpha(32)P-labeled cDNA probes synthesized from RNA isolated from hepatocellular carcinoma and adjacent non-cirrhotic liver. AtlasImage, which is a software specific to array, was used to analyze the result. RT-PCR of 24 pairs specimen and Northern blot of 4 pairs specimen were used to confirm the expression pattern of some integrin genes identified by Atlas arrays hybridization.
Results: Among 588 genes spotted in membrane, 17 genes were related to integrin. Four genes were up-regulated, such as integrin alpha8, beta1, beta7 and beta8 in HCC. Whereas there were no genes down-regulated in HCC. RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis of integrin beta1 gene gave results consistent with cDNA array findings.
Conclusion: Investigation of these integrin genes should help to disclose the molecular mechanism of the cell adhesion, invasive and metastasis of HCC. A few genes are reported to have changed in HCC for the first time. The quick and high-throughout method of profiling gene expression by cDNA array provides us overview of key factors that may involved in HCC, and may find the clue of the study of HCC metastasis and molecular targets of anti-metastasis therapy. The precise relationship between the altered genes and HCC is a matter of further investigation.