Downregulation of MAGI1 Associates with Poor Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

ABSTRACTObjective: MAGI1 (membrane-associated guanylate kinase, WW and PDZ domain containing 1) plays an important role in stabilization of adherens junctions and suppression of invasiveness and metastasis. However, its expression and clinical revelance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unknown. So, this study was performed to detect the expression and clinical significance of MAGI1 in human HCC. Methods: The mRNA and protein expression levels were examined by using reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blotting in 31 paired HCC and paracarcinomatous liver tissues (PCLT). Furthermore, samples of 104 HCC patients were determined immunohistochemically for MAGI1 expression and the correlation of MAGI1 levels with prognosis was analyzed. Results: The expression levels of MAGI1 were significantly downregulated in HCCs than those in PCLTs (p < .01). Importantly, the decreased expression of MAGI1 correlated with multiple tumor nodules (p < .05), absence of capsular formation (p < .05), worse E...