Nuclear and mitochondrial DNA microsatellite instability in Chinese hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To study the nuclear microsatellite instability (nMSI) at BAT26 and mitochondral microsalellite instability (mtMSI) in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma and the relationship between nMSI and mtMSI. METHODS: nMSI was observed with PCR and mtMSI with PCR-SSCP in 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. RESULTS: mtMSI was detected in 11 out of the 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (21.2%). Among the 11 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with mtMSI, 7 occured in one locus and 4 in 2 loci. The frequency of mtMSI in the 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma showed no correlation to sex, age, infection of hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis as well as positive AFP of the patients (P>0.05). In addition, nMSI was detected in 3 out of 52 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (5.8%) and there was no correlation of the incidence of mtMSI to that of nMSI (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: mtMSI may be involved in the coccurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma and it is independent of nMSI.