Significance and Expression of Atypical Protein Kinase C-ɩ in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background and objectivePrevious studies have indicated that abnormal expression of atypical protein kinase C (aPKC-ɩ) plays a critical role in occurrence and progression of malignant tumor. This study analyzed the correlation of aPKC-ɩ with clinicopathology in hepatocarcinoma and Cyclin E and investigated molecular mechanisms of invasion and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.Materials and methodsThe expression of the aPKC-ɩ gene was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 7 specimens of normal liver tissues and 43 of hepatoma and adjacent tissues. Expression of aPKC-ɩ and Cyclin E protein was detected using immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Finally, we analyzed the correlation of aPKC-ɩ with clinicopathologic characteristics and invasion of hepatoma.ResultsThe expression value (0.844 ± 0.315) of aPKC-ɩ gene is obviously higher in hepatoma than the value (0.530 ± 0.217) in adjacent tissues and the value (0.372 ± 0.130) in normal tissue (P = 0.009). The positive expression rate (58.1%) of aPKC-ɩ protein in hepatoma is remarkably higher than the rate (23.3%) of adjacent tissues. The expression of aPKC-ɩ has a positive correlation with the expression of Cyclin E, differentiation degree, and invasion of tumor (P < 0.05).ConclusionsDifferentiation degree and invasion of hepatoma are related to the expression of aPKC-ɩ, which plays an important role in invasion and metastasis of hepatoma.