Figure 1.

(A) Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis of MAGE-D2 mRNA expression in HCC cell lines and controls (median value of non-cancerous liver tissues). Increased MAGE-D2 expression was detected in HLE, HuH1, HuH7 and PLC/PRF/5 cells compared with the controls. (B) The MAGE-D2 mRNA expression level was elevated in liver tissues of patients with chronic hepatitis compared with normal liver tissues, however, no significant differences were identified between patients with chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis. The mean expression level of MAGE-D2 mRNA was equivalent between HCC and non-cancerous tissues. (C) The mean expression level of MAGE-D2 mRNA was independent of tumor differentiation. NS, not significant; NT, non-cancerous tissues; MAGE-D2, melanoma-associated antigen-D2; HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma; GAPDH, glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase.