论文部分内容阅读
βⅡ-spectrin (SPTBN1) is an adapter protein for Smad3/Smad4 complex formation during TGF-β signal transduction.Forty percent of SPTBN1+/-mice spontaneously develop hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC),and most cases of human HCC have significant reductions in SPTBN1 expression.In this study,we investigated the possible mechanisms by which loss of SPTBN1 may contribute to tumorigenesis.Livers of SPTBN1+/-mice,compared to wild type mouse livers,display a significant increase in EpCAM+ cells and overall EpCAM expression.