Correlation between beta-catenin mutations and expression of Wnt-signaling target genes in hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT: Aberrant Wnt-signaling caused by mutants of beta-catenin, a key regulator of the canonical Wnt-signaling pathway, is frequently detected in cancer. Only recently, it was suggested that in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) the expression of the target gene glutamine synthetase (GS) is a highly reliable marker for the identification of beta-catenin mutations. In order to prove this hypothesis, 52 samples from human hepatocellular carcinomas were analysed for the activation of beta-catenin and the expression of GS. In total, 45 samples stained positive for cytoplasmic/nuclear beta-catenin. A strong correlation between expression of GS and activated beta-catenin (100% of nuclear and 84% of cytosolic) was found. However, among 35 GS positive tumors that were analysed for beta-catenin mutations no

SUBMITTER: Austinat M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2287186 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature