J. Cancer Mol. 2: 191-197, 2006

[Review Article]

Roles of p53 in Carcinogenesis, Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Yong-Song Guan, Qing He, and Zi La

West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, China

Abstract:

p53 is the most commonly mutated gene in human cancers and more than 50% of human cancers contain p53 mutations.  In the past decade, the roles of p53 in human cancers have been investigated extensively in many aspects and intervention to restore wild-type p53 activities is an attractive approach for cancer therapy.  Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and most current therapies are of limited efficacy.  This review updates the focused points of correlations between p53 and HCC in the regards such as carcinogenesis, progression, diagnosis, and treatment.  The p53 protein and anti-p53 antibodies are related to the clinical characteristics and diagnosis of HCC.  Also stated are p53 protein as a marker of malignancy compared with alpha-fetoprotein and ferritin, p53 products for the treatment of HCC, approaches for p53 to get into the target, p53 as a factor to predict the prognosis of HCC, as well as prospects of p53 for the treatment of HCC in the future.  However, knowledge about the roles of p53 in HCC is still incomplete and needs to be expanded by more studies.  In the future, the information about p53 and its related items may become a part of our patient management and serve to achieve the existing therapeutic strategies of HCC.

Received 9/12/06; Revised 10/1/06; Accepted 10/12/06.

¹Correspondence: Dr. Yong-Song Guan, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, No. 37, Guoxuexiang Street, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China. Phone: 86-28-8542 1008. Fax: 86-28-8542 1008. E-mail: yongsongguan@yahoo.com

²Abbreviations: wt p53, wild-type p53; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; AFB₁, aflatoxin B₁; AFB₁-Alb, aflatoxin B₁-albumin adducts; mt p53, mutated p53; Hupki, human p53 knock-in; p53-Abs, anti-p53 antibodies; AFP, alpha-fetoprotein; AFP-L3, Lens culinaris agglutinin A-reactive fraction of AFP; DCP, des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin; HCCR, human cervical cancer oncogene; hTERT, human telomerase reverse transcriptase; gamma-GT, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase; TACE, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization; Ad-p53, adenoviral p53; GEP, granulin-epithelin precursor.