Chan J Y, Chin W, Liew C T, Chang K S, Johnson P J
Department of Clinical Oncology, Sir Y.K. Pao Centre for Cancer, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong.
Eur J Cancer. 1998 Jun;34(7):1015-22. doi: 10.1016/s0959-8049(97)10138-1.
The promyelocytic leukaemia (PML) gene, which encodes a transformation and growth suppressor, was first identified at a chromosomal translocation break point in acute promyelocytic leukaemia. To elucidate if PML may be involved in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the expression of PML was analysed using immunohistochemistry in human HCC and hepatitis tissues. Our studies demonstrated overexpression of PML protein in the PML-oncogenic domain (POD) structure in 50% of HCC (11/22). Enhanced expression and cytoplasmic localisation of PML was associated with cirrhosis. Increased expression of PML was also found in liver abscesses. However, in colon metastasis to the liver, the expression of PML was moderate to low, although strong expression was seen in the surrounding interstitial cells, macrophages and lymphocytes, an indication of the inflammation process associated with tumour growth. Most interestingly, strong expression of PML was found in neoplastic cells at the periphery of the tumours, but progressively decreased in cells at the centre of the tumours, which may be associated with an altered transform phenotype or apoptosis. The altered expression of PML indicates that this nuclear protein may play an important role in cellular response to stress and inflammation, as well as in compensatory cell growth.
早幼粒细胞白血病（PML）基因编码一种转化和生长抑制因子，它最初是在急性早幼粒细胞白血病的染色体易位断点处被发现的。为了阐明PML是否可能参与肝细胞癌（HCC），我们使用免疫组织化学方法分析了PML在人HCC和肝炎组织中的表达。我们的研究表明，50%的HCC（11/22）中PML蛋白在PML致癌结构域（POD）结构中过表达。PML的表达增强和细胞质定位与肝硬化有关。在肝脓肿中也发现PML表达增加。然而，在肝转移的结肠癌中，PML的表达为中度至低度，尽管在周围间质细胞、巨噬细胞和淋巴细胞中可见强表达，这表明与肿瘤生长相关的炎症过程。最有趣的是，在肿瘤周边的肿瘤细胞中发现PML强表达，但在肿瘤中心的细胞中逐渐减少，这可能与转化表型改变或细胞凋亡有关。PML表达的改变表明，这种核蛋白可能在细胞对压力和炎症的反应以及代偿性细胞生长中起重要作用。
