Differential proteomic analysis of genderdependent hepatic tumorigenesis in Hras12V transgenic mice

Abstract

Male prevalence is an outstanding characteristic of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the underlying mechanisms for this have remained largely unknown. In the present study, Hras12V transgenic mice, in which hepatocyte-specific expression of the ras oncogene induces male-biased hepatic tumorigenesis, were studied, and altered proteins were detected by two-dimensional fluorescence difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE). Protein samples from hepatic tumor tissues (T) and peritumor tissues (P) of transgenic males and females and the corresponding normal liver tissues (Wt) of nontransgenic males and females were subjected to pairwise comparisons based on proteomic analysis. Among 2381 autodetected protein spots, more than 1600 were differentially expressed based on a pairwise comparison (|ratio| > = 1.5, p