Expression of human leukocyte antigen E in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines

AIM: To investigate the human leukcyte antigen E (HLA-E) expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines. METHODS: The techniques of real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to study the HLA-E expression in the 5 cell lines of hepatocellular carcinoma and a fetal liver cell line at mRNA and protein levels. RESULTS: The results of real-time PCR showed that no statistical difference of HLA-E mRNA level between fetal liver cell L02 and other 4 cell lines of hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2, Bel7402, PLC and MHCC97) was observed, and almost absence of HLA-E mRNA expression in Hep3B2.1-7 cells was detected. However, the results of Western blotting showed that there was a significant statistical difference of HLA-E protein levels between L02 cells and the 5 cell lines of hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2, Bel7402, PLC, MHCC97 and Hep3B2.1-7), and no HLA-E protein in Hep3B2.1-7 cells was detectable. CONCLUSION: Asynchronization of HLA-E expression between mRNA and protein levels was found in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.