A study to explore the mechanism of hepatic metastasis of colon cancer through Heregulin

我们研究了大肠癌肝转移时肝细胞表达调蛋白（HRG）的机制。免疫组织化学（IHC）检测肝转移癌标本显示HRG在肝细胞中的表达率为88.7%。在肿瘤周围肝细胞中表达明显，而在肿瘤周围及远处肝细胞中表达不明显。与对照组相比，二甲基亚硝胺（DMN）从第1天起引起大鼠肝细胞HRG mRNA表达显著增加。免疫组化结果显示，HRG在肝细胞中的表达始于Glisson囊周围，而在DMN损伤的肝小叶中央带区域则无表达。部分肝切除术也显示，肝细胞在残留的肝脏表达HRG。提示HRG在肝损伤和再生阶段的残留肝细胞中有表达。

We investigated a mechanism why hepatocytes express Heregulin(HRG) in the situation of hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer. Immunohistochemical(IHC) examination on human specimen of hepatic metastasis revealed that HRG was expressed in hepatocytes at 88.7 %. The expression was evident in hepatocytes which were close to the metastatic tumor but not in those which were contact to the tumor with being injured nor in far region. Dimethylnitrosoamine(DMN) caused significantly increased expression of HRG mRNA in rat hepatocytes from day 1 compared with that of the control. IHC examination revealed that HRG expression in hepatocytes started from day 1 around the area of Glisson's capsule but not in the area of central zone of hepatic lobules where were injured by DMN. Partial hepatectomy also revealed that hepatocytes in the residual liver expressed HRG. These results suggest that HRG expression is appeared in the residual hepatocytes in the stage of injury and regeneration of the liver.