Rat ferritin-H: cDNA cloning, differential expression and localization during hepatocarcinogenesis.

Abstract

Elevated serum ferritin levels, especially of the H subunit, accompany many clinical malignancies. By using the subtraction-enhanced display technique, we have recently isolated several cDNA clones which are over-expressed in rat hepatocellular carcinoma induced by diethylnitrosamine. One 830-base-pair clone was 88% similar to human ferritin-H cDNA and encoded a 182 amino acid protein which is 97% homologous to human ferritin-H chain. Hepatic mRNA levels of ferritin-H were increased markedly at the early stage of diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinogenesis in the rat (6 weeks) and appeared more than 10-fold overexpressed as the tumour progressed. In contrast, hepatic ferritin-H mRNA remained constant during liver regeneration after a 70% partial hepatectomy. In situ hybridization showed that over-expression of ferritin-H was exclusively localized to preneoplastic foci, to tumour nodules and to tumour cells invading blood vessels. These findings suggest that ferritin-H is a highly conserved protein, its over-expression during tumour development is phenotypically correlated with tumour initiation and/or progression, and it is useful as an early marker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

• Authors: C G Wu, M Groenink, A Bosma, P H Reitsma, S J van Deventer, R A Chamuleau
• Journal: Carcinogenesis (Carcinogenesis) Vol. 18 Issue 1 Pg. 47-52 (Jan 1997) ISSN: 0143-3334 [Print] England
• PMID: 9054589 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Carcinogens
• DNA, Complementary
• RNA, Messenger
• Diethylnitrosamine
• Ferritins

Topics

• Animals
• Base Sequence
• Blotting, Northern
• Carcinogens
• DNA, Complementary (genetics)
• Diethylnitrosamine
• Ferritins (genetics, metabolism)
• Liver Neoplasms, Experimental (chemically induced, genetics, metabolism)
• Liver Regeneration
• Male
• Molecular Sequence Data
• RNA, Messenger (metabolism)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar