Abstract:Objective:To study the relationship between Ephrin-A1 and its receptor with angiogenesis in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).
Methods:Immunohistochemistry staining method (S P methods)and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to determine the protein and mRNA expression of Ephrin-A1 and its receptor EphA1、EphA2 in tumor tissues and their corresponding adjacent liver tissues from 52 HCC patients; then, analyse of the relationship between Ephrin-A1 and clinicopathologyfactor and microvessel density(MVD) in HCC was made.
Results:The protein expression rate of Ephrin-A1 and EphA1, EphA2 in HCC was 59.6%(31/52), 53.8%(28/52)and 17.3%(9/52), respectively, but in the paired liver tissues adjacent to HCC the expression rate was 23.1%(12/52), and 21.2%(11/52), respectively. The protein expression rate of Ephrin-A1 and EphA1 was significantly higher than that in the paired liver tissues adjacent to HCC(P<0.05), The protein expression rate of EphA2 was not significant in HCC compared to the paired liver tissues adjacent to HCC（P>0.05）. The mRNA express rate of Ephrin-A1 and EphA1 in HCC ［67.3%(35/52) and 73.7%(38/52)］ were prominently higher than those in the paired liver tissues adjacent to HCC ［42.3%(22/52) and 48.1%(25/52)］ (P<0.05), The mRNA express rate of EphA2 was no significant in HCC compare to the paired liver tissues adjacent to HCC（P>0.05）. The higher expression of Ephrin-A1 was correlated with the AFP level and thrombus in the portal vein(P<0.05) in patients with HCC. Spearman′s rank correlation analysis indicatied the expression of Ephrin-A1 was correlated with EphA1(r=0.671，P<0.01), but was not correlated with EphA2 in HCC; and the expression of Ephrin-A1 was correlated with MVD in HCC(r=0.826，P<0.01).
Conclusions:Ephrin-A1 can be combination with its receptor EphA1 but not with EphA2 in HCC, and can improve angiogenesis of HCC, then enhanced its growth, invasiveness and metastasis. Ephrin-A1 and EphA1 can become the new targets for the antiangiogenesis treatment of HCC.