The Expression Of Adiponectin And Its Receptors In Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tissues

Objective: Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) is one of the human malignant tumor and poses a serious threat to the public health. Obesity is strongly associated with HCC. Adiponectin is an adipocyte-derived protein which performs as an anti-insulin resistance adipocytokine, and has anti-inflammatory, anti-arteriosclerosis and anti-carcinogenic properties. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship among adiponectin, its receptors(Adipo R1 、 Adipo R2 and T-cadherin) and the pathological characteristics of HCC.Methods: A total of 42 specimens were collected from the patients from 2011 to 2013. All of the patients were confirmed as HCC by pathological diagnosis, excluding those that accepted preoperative adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy.Totally 42 subjects include 34 males(58.9%) and 8 females(41.1%). The average age was(54.4±10.9) years old.The average weight before surgery was(60.2±8.5)kg. Seventeen cases(40.5%)were large sized tumor(>5cm),the other 25 cases(59.5%) were small sized tumor(￡5cm).Thirty-three cases(78.6%) were high-middle differentiated and 9 cases(21.4%) were low differentiated.The cases of HCC tissues with or without tumor thrombi were 21(50%) separately. Ten cases with satellite lesions(23.8%) and 32 cases without satellite lesions(76.2%).The expression of adiponectin, adipo R1, adipo R2 and T-cadherin was detected by immunohistochemistry in 42 cases of HCC tissues(tumor hepatic tissues and pericarcinomatous tissues).The relationship was analyzed among the expression of adiponectin and its receptors and HCC pathological characteristics.Results: The expression of adiponectin(2.88±1.06 vs. 5.98±0.95), Adipo R1(2.36±1.38 vs. 5.43±1.04), Adipo R2(2.29±1.55 vs. 5.14±1.22) and T-cadherin(2.17±1.34 vs. 5.21±1.18) decreased in tumor hepatic tissues compared to pericarcinomatous tissues(P<0.001 respectively). The expression of adiponectin(2.57±1.03 vs. 3.19±1.03),Adipo R1(1.81±1.44 vs. 2.90±1.09), Adipo R2(1.48±1.47 vs. 3.10±1.18) and T-cadherin(1.76±1.34 vs. 2.57±1.25) in HCC tissues with tumor thrombi was lower than in cancerous tissues without tumor thrombi(P < 0.05respectively). Adiponectin(2.30±1.16 vs. 3.06±0.98) and Adipo R2(1.20±1.48 vs. 2.63±1.43) expression in HCC tissues with satellite lesions was lower than in cancerous tissues without satellite lesions(P<0.05). The expression of T-cadherin in large size(>5cm) tumor tissues(1.59±1.33) was lower than in the small size(￡5cm) tumor tissues(2.56±1.23)(P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the expression of adiponectin reduced with age or the complication of tumor thrombi. The expression of Adipo R1 reduced with the complication of tumor thrombi. The expression of Adipo R2 reduced with the complication of tumor thrombi. The expression of T-cadherin reduced with the increase of the diameter of tumor.Conclusions: The expression of adiponectin、Adipo R1 、Adipo R2 and T-cadherin decreased in tumor hepatic tissues compared to pericarcinomatous tissues.The decreased expression of adiponectin and its receptors may play a role in the intrahepatic metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma.