Preliminary mechanism on the methylation modification of Dkk-1 and Dkk-3 in hepatocellular carcinoma

Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, having a crucial role in regulating diverse cellular processes, can be a new therapeutic target in cancer. To investigate the role of Dkk-1 (Dickkopf-1) and Dkk-3 in tumors and cirrhoses of the liver tissue in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), tissues from 38 patients with HCC resections including 5 patients who underwent hemangioma surgery of adjacent tumor tissues at the same time were obtained. Tissues were divided into three groups (nonfibrosis, cirrhosis, and carcinoma) through hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) (MSP) measured the methylation status, and reverse transcription-PCR tested the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, and immunohistochemical analysis provided levels of protein expression. The methylation detection rate of Dkk-1 and Dkk-3 was the highest ( P