PTEN down-regulation or p53 (+) correlated with increased HCC dedifferentiation, advanced pathologic stages and high PCNA labeling index (LI) of tumors (P<0.05).
Lymph node metastases were present in 80% (12 out of 15) PTEN negative HCC, 57.14% (12 out of 21) PTEN weak positive HCC and only 10.71% (9 out of 84) PTEN intense positive HCC, (P<0.05).
The aberrant location of expression and staining intensity of PTEN, PPM1A and P-Smad2 in HCC and their relationship might have an impact on the pathogenesis of HCC.
Our data suggest that PTEN blocks Sp1 phosphorylation in response to HBx, by inactivating PKC, MAPK and MAPK kinase which eventually downregulate IGF-II expression, during the formation of HCC.
Aberrant expression of miR-21 can contribute to HCC growth and spread by modulating PTEN expression and PTEN-dependent pathways involved in mediating phenotypic characteristics of cancer cells such as cell growth, migration, and invasion.