目的检测Prox1(prospero-related homeobox 1)基因在原发性肝细胞癌(HCC)中的表达,探讨其与HCC病理学分级及临床分期的相关性。方法应用RT-PCR方法检测51例肝癌组织、癌旁组织和16例正常肝组织中Prox1基因表达,并分析其与HCC病理学分级和临床分期的相关性。结果 Prox1 mRNA在肝癌、癌旁及正常肝组织中均有表达,但肝癌组织(0.243±0.102)和癌旁组织(0.537±0.235)的表达量均明显低于正常肝组织(0.812±0.372),P<0.01或P<0.05,且肝癌组织中Prox1 mRNA表达量又明显低于癌旁组织(P<0.05)。肝癌组织中Prox1 mRNA的表达量在不同病理学分级(F=97.950,P<0.001)和临床分期(F=228.300,P<0.001)的肝癌组织中差异均有统计学意义,且各病理学分级和临床分期间两两比较,差异也均有统计学意义(P<0.001,P<0.01)。Prox1 mRNA表达与肝癌的病理学分级(r=-0.930,P<0.01)和临床分期(r=-0.980,P<0.01)呈负相关。结论 Prox1 mRNA表达可能与HCC的发生、发展有关,然而其是否为HCC的抑癌基因有待进一步证实。 Objective To detect the expression of Prox1 (prospero-related homeobox 1) gene in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to investigate its relationship with pathological grade and clinical stage of HCC. Methods RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of Prox1 in 51 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma, paracancerous tissues and 16 cases of normal liver tissues. The correlation between Prox1 gene expression and pathological grade and clinical stage of HCC was analyzed. Results The mRNA expression of Prox1 in HCC, paracancer and normal liver tissues was significantly lower than that in normal liver tissues (0.243 ± 0.102) and paracancerous tissues (0.537 ± 0.235), P (0.812 ± 0.372), P <0.01 or P <0.05, and the expression of Prox1 mRNA in hepatocellular carcinoma was significantly lower than that in paracancerous tissues (P <0.05). The expression of Prox1 mRNA in HCC tissues was significantly different between HCC tissues with different pathological grading (F = 97.950, P <0.001) and clinical stage (F = 228.300, P <0.001) There were also significant differences between the two groups during clinical stage (P <0.001, P <0.01). Prox1 mRNA expression was negatively correlated with pathological grade (r = -0.930, P <0.01) and clinical stage (r = -0.980, P <0.01) in HCC. Conclusion The expression of Prox1 mRNA may be related to the occurrence and development of HCC. However, whether it is a tumor suppressor gene for HCC remains to be confirmed.