[Expression and potential role of metastasis-associated protein 1 in the induced carcinogenesis of mouse liver].

AIM: To establish a hepatocellular carcinoma model of BALB/c mouse and to study the expression and potential role of metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1) in the carcinogenesis process.

METHODS

Normal adult male BALB/c mice were induced by the combined dimethylnitrosamine (DEN)/carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4);)/alcohol for 150 d. The morphological changes in liver cells and the expression of MTA1 in the liver lesions were observed by HE and immunohistochemical stainings, respectively.

RESULTS

The pathological changes of the survivals' livers in experimental group were liver inflammation, fibrosis and cancer in sequence. The level of MTA1 increased in the carcinogenesis process, and MTA1 was mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of the cells suffering cirrhosis.

CONCLUSION

The changes of the expression sites and quantity of MTA1 in the DEN-induced carcinogenesis of mouse liver indicate that MTA1 may play an important role in the whole process of liver carcinogenesis.