Wls Expression Correlates with Tumor Differentiation and TNM Stage in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an aggressive cancer with a poor prognosis. Effective biomarkers are necessary to predict the clinical course and outcome of patients with HCC. Wntless (Wls) is a key modulator of Wnt protein secretion and is overexpressed in various human cancers. However, the mechanism and alteration of Wls expression in HCC have not been clarified.

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate expression level of Wls in HCC and its clinical significance.

Methods

The levels of Wls expression were investigated in 84 HCC tissues using immunohistochemistry.

Results

Wls was negatively expressed in normal liver tissue and was negatively or weakly (score 0) expressed in liver cirrhosis. Twenty-eight out of 84 samples (33.3%) were negative or weakly (score 0) expressed Wls, 38 out of 84 (45.2%) moderately (1+) expressed Wls, and 18 out of 84 (21.4%) strongly (2+) expressed Wls. Wls expression was positively associated with tumor size (P = 0.005, r = 0.302), tumor TNM stage (P = 0.017, r = 0.261), AFP (P = 0.051), and HBV infection (P = 0.009, r = 0.283), and was negatively associated with differentiation (P < 0.001, r = − 0.552). No significant relationship between Wls expression and liver cirrhosis, ALT, GGT, age, sex, or tumor focality was found.

Conclusions

Our data showed that Wls was differentially expressed in HCC. Statistical analysis results suggest that Wls expression might increase as HCC progresses.

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