Clinical significance of axin and β-catenin protein expression in primary hepatocellular carcinomas.

The aim of the present research was to investigate clinicopathologic correlations of immunohistochemicallydemonstrated axin (axis inhibition) and β-catenin expression in primary hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), in comparison with paraneoplastic, cirrhotic and normal liver tissues. Variation in Axin expression across groups were significant (P 0.05). Differences in cell membrane β-catenin expression were also statistically significant (P 0.05). Axin expression levels in tissues with reduced membrane β-catenin were low (P < 0.05), also being low with nuclear β-catenin expression (P < 0.05). Axin and β-catenin may play an important role in the genesis and progression of HCC via the Wnt signal transmission pathway. Simultaneous determination of axin, β-catenin, AFP, and HBsAg may be useful for early diagnosis, and metastatic and clinical staging of HCCs.