Expression levels of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins and insulin receptor isoforms in hepatoblastomas.

Hepatoblastoma, a rare pediatric liver tumour, is a poorly understood disease. While expression studies for some members of the Insulin-like growth factor axis have been studied in hepatoblastoma, a systematic analysis of the IGF-axis has not been carried out. We have examined a series of hepatoblastomas with matched normal liver tissue for gene expression differences with emphasis on members of the insulin-like growth factor binding proteins. The expression profiles obtained reveal that the expression of these genes are altered in these tumors. The results indicate that the IGF-axis is seriously disturbed in the tumors.