[HBV status and expression of ets-2, IGF-II, C-myc and N-ras in human hepatocellular carcinoma and adjacent nontumorous tissues--a comparative study].

A comparative study on HBV status and ets-2, IGF-II, C-myc and N-ras expression in 12 pairs of human primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) and adjacent non-tumorous tissues (NT) showed that integrated forms of HBV DNA were present in 91.5% PHC and 75% NT. No specific integration sites were detected. Three PHC and 4 NT were found to have free forms of HBV DNA, which were defective in 2 PHC and 3 NT, i. e., being able to replicate but not to be secreted into the blood. At least one of four oncogenes studied was overexpressed in the 12 pairs of samples. IGF-II was expressed as 5.0 and 2.0 Kb fetal transcripts in 3 pairs of samples and 1 NT. Six NT had more than one of the four oncogenes that was expressed higher than PHC. This was commonly encountered in tissues with free forms of HBV DNA. The relation between HBV status, expression of ets-2, IGF-II, C-myc and N-ras and carcinogenesis of PHC is discussed.