Inhibin/activin expression in human and rodent liver: subunits α and βB as new players in human hepatocellular carcinoma?

ABSTRACT:

Background

Activins and inhibins belong to the TGFβ-superfamily, which controls cell proliferation and differentiation in many organs. Activin A, the dimer of inhibin βA subunit, acts strongly anti-proliferative in hepatocytes. Little is known on the other activin/inhibin subunits in human liver and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

We studied the expression of the complete inhibin family α, βA, βB, βC, βE in normal liver, tumour-adjacent and HCC tissue, 12 additional organs and rodent liver. A total of 16 HCC and 10 disease-free livers were analysed. Expression of inhibin subunits was determined by qRT-PCR, normalised to RNA input and by geNorm algorithm, and confirmed by immunohistochemistry.

Results

Remarkably, βA expression was not decreased in HCC. Similarl

SUBMITTER: Frost K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3078591 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature