AIM:To explore the expression of heparanase mRNA andpoint mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS:Reverse transcription polymerase chain reactionwas used to measure the expression of heparanase mRNAin the primary tumor tissues and surrounding liver tissuesof 33 HCC patients.T-A cloning and sequencing were usedto detect whether there was any mutation in the amplifiedPCR products.RESULTS:The expression of heparanase mRNA waspositive in 16 primary tumor tissues of HCC,and the positiverate was 48.5%,which was significantly higher than thatin the surrounding liver parenchyma(P<0.01).The positiverate for heparanase gene in high-tendency to metastaticrecurrence group(71.4%,10/14)was obviously higherthan that in low-tendency to metastatic recurrence group(31.6%,6/19)(P=0.023).The positive rate for heparanasegene in patients with metastatic reourrence during postoperativefollow-up(78.6%,11/14)was also significantly higher thanthat in those without metastatic recurrence(21.4%,3/14)(P=0.003).Sequence analysis of the HPA PCR productswas made in 7 patients,and 2-point mutations were foundin 4 patients,one of which was sense mutation,neitherbase insertion nor deletion was detected.The mutationrate was 57.1%(4/7).CONCLUSION:The expression rate of heparanase mRNAincreases in HCC,and HPA mRNA may be one of the reliablemarkers for the metastatic activity gained by the liver tumorcells and could be used clinically in predicting metastaticrecurrence of HCC.Point mutation may be one of the causesfor enhanced heparanase mRNA expression. AIM: To explore the expression of heparanase mRNA andpoint mutation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction reaction used to measure the expression of heparanase mRNAin the primary tumor tissues and surrounding liver tissues of 33 HCC patients. TA cloning and sequencing were usedto detect whether there was any mutation in the amplified PCR products .RESULTS: The expression of heparanase mRNA was positively expressed in 16 primary tumor tissues of HCC, and the positive rate was 48.5%, which was significantly higher than that in the surrounding liver parenchyma (P <0.01) The positive rate for heparanase gene in high-tendency to metastatic recurrence group (71.4%, 10/14) was obviously higherthan that in low-tendency to metastatic recurrence group (31.6%, 6/19) (P = 0.023). The positive rate for heparanasegene in patients with metastatic reourrence during postoperative follow-up (78.6%, 11/14) was also significantly higher thanthat in those without metastatic recurrence (21.4%, 3/14) (P = 0 .003). Sequencing analysis of the HPA PCR products was made in 7 patients, and 2-point mutations were foundin 4 patients, one of which was sense mutations, neitherbase insertion nor deletion was detected.The mutation rate was 57.1% (4/7) . CONCLUSION: The expression rate of heparanase mRNA in creases in HCC, and HPA mRNA may be one of the reliable markers for the metastatic activity gained by the liver tumor cells and could be used clinically in predicting metastatic recurrence of HCC. Point mutation may one of the causes for enhanced heparanase mRNA expression.