To test the expression levels and significance of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(PPARγ) and PTEN protein in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) tissues and adjacent non-tumor liver tissues, and investigate the relationship of both proteins expression with clinicopathological parameters.

One hundred of tumor tissues and surrounding liver tissues were collected from patients with HCC undergoing curative hepatectomy in the first affiliated hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, then the tissue microarray was contructed. Immunohistochemistry staining was assessed the expression levels of PPARγ and PTEN proteins in samples. Moreover, Western blotting analysis was used to detect PTEN expression via PPARγ activation in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines Huh7 in vitro.

The expression levels of PPARγ and PTEN protein were significantly reduced in HCC tissues (82% and 62%, respectively), comparing with that of surrounding non-tumor liver tissues(95% and 92%, respectively)(P <0.05). Moreover, the expression levels of PPARγ protein in HCC were associated with the differentiation of carcinoma. PTEN protein level in HCC was associated with the differentiation of carcinoma and tumor invasion into portal vein. Upregulation of PTEN in Huh7 cells was accompanied with PPAR activation.

The expression levels of PPARγ and PTEN protein are significantly reduced in HCC, comparing with surrounding liver tissues. PPARγ activation upregulates PTEN expression in Huh7 cells, suggesting that both proteins expression represents the significance of the recurrence and progress of HCC.