Src, a non-receptor type of tyrosine, was recently reported to modulate multiple signaling pathways in human tumors. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the expression and distribution of Src on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The expressions of total Src (t-Src) and an active form of Src [phosphorylated (p-) Y416Src] were analyzed in 52 northern Chinese patients with HCC using immunohistochemistry. The positive expression rates of t-Src and p-Y416Src in HCC tissue were 65.38 and 42.30%, respectively, which is significantly higher than that in adjacent non-tumor tissue (30.76 and 13.46%; P<0.001 and P=0.010, respectively). The staining intensity of t-Src and p-Y416Src were also significantly higher in HCC tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues (P<0.001 and P=0.023, respectively). t-Src expression was positively and significantly correlated with tumor stage (P=0.002), cellular differentiation (P=0.007), metastasis (P=0.030) and the expression level of CA19-9 (P=0.016), while p-Y416Src expression was only significantly correlated with tumor stage (P=0.010). The expression of t-Src and p-Y416Src were also investigated using immunocytochemistry in two HCC cell lines with different metastatic potentials (MHCC97-L and HCCLM3) that are derived from a single HCC patient. Consistently, the expression of t-Src and p-Y416Src were stronger in the cells with higher metastatic potential compared with those exhibiting lower metastatic potential. Taken together, the current data indicate that Src expression is elevated and active in Chinese patients with HCC and that t-Src may have a key role in promoting HCC metastasis.
Keywords: expression; hepatocellular carcinoma; metastasis; phosphorylated Src; total Src.