Frequent Losses of Heterozygosity in the Mitofusin 2 Gene in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Their Relationship to Clinicopathological Features

Abstract

The aim of the study was to determine the features of loss of heterozygosity in the mitofusin 2 gene and their association with clinicopathological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma. Loss of heterozygosity of four microsatellite loci were detected in tumors and their adjacent normal tissues of 29 surgically resected hepatocellular carcinomas using an ABI3130xl automated sequencer. The results showed the incidences of loss of heterozygosity on microsatellite loci D1S2667, D1S2740, D1S434, and D1S228 were 21%, 23%, 21%, and 22%, respectively. Loss of heterozygosity in the mitofusin 2 gene was closely correlated with age, degree of differentiation, capsule integrity, and tumor size (P <0.05) but was not correlated with gender, thrombosis, liver cirrhosis, or alpha-fetoprotein levels (P >0.05). Frequent loss of heterozygosity in the mitofusin 2 gene exists in hepatocellular carcinoma. Loss of heterozygosity, which represents a tumor suppressor gene pathway, may play a critical role in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma.