Relationship between expression of CD44v6 and nm23-H1 and tumor invasion and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM:To detect the expression of CD44v6 mRNA and nm23-H1 mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by in situ hybridization, and to evaluate the relationship between their expression and also relationship between their expressions and tumor invasion and metastasis.METHODS:CD44v6 cDNA probe was synthesized with PCR technique and the nm23-H1 cRNA probe by in vitro transcription. The expression of CD44v6 mRNA and nm23-H1 mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization. RESULTS:In group with high invasion and metastasis potential, the positive rates of CD44v6 mRNA and nm23-H1 mRNA were 80% (8/10) and 40% (4/10),in group with poor invasion and metastasis potential, they were 21.7% (5/23) and 91.3% (21/23).There was a positive correlation between the expression of CD44v6 mRNA and tumor invasion and metastasis potential in HCC (P < 0.01), and a reverse correlation between the expression of nm23-H1 mRNA and tumor invasion and metastasis potential (P < 0.01) and a reverse correlation in the expression between CD44v6 mRNA and nm23-H1 mRNA in HCC (P < 0.01).CONCLUSION: Detection of CD44v6 mRNA and nm23-H1 mRNA may be useful for tumor invasion and metastasis in HCC.