Objective：To investigate the abnormal expression of β-catenin and its role in the development and differentiation of primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
Methods：Four types of cell lines (L-02, WB, HepG2 and SMCC-7721) were attachment cultured and subcultured. The expression characteristics of β-catenin in those cells were detected by immunocytochemical staining.
Results：Of the L-02 cells, the β-catenin proteins were expressed totally on the cell membrane and none of them were expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Of the WB cells, the β-catenin proteins were expressed mainly on the cell membrane and slightly expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleus. However, the β-catenin proteins were strongly and totally expressed in the cytoplasm and nucleus of HepG2 and SMCC-7721 cells, and the β-catenin expressions in SMCC-7721 cells were higher than those of the HepG2 cells.
Conclusions：The translocated expression of β-catenin from the cell membrane to cytoplasm and nucleus may play an important role in the development and differentiation of primary hepatocellular carcinoma.