Xiao-hong Zhou¹, Xing Lai², De-an Mu², Jian-ping Gong², Qing-gang Yin^3,

Endocan is a dermatan sulfate proteoglycan, constituted of a core protein with 165 amino acids and a single dermatan sulfate chain covalently linked to the serine 137. It is mainly expressed by the activated endothelial cell and regulated by various cytokines and growth factors. In hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the expression of endocan increases significantly, and it can induce tumorigenesis and promote the tumor progression. Endocan involves in the proliferation of HCC cell, angiogenesis, metastasis and immunity via a variety of complicated pathways, which cover the regulation of hepatic inflammation-fibrosis-cancer (IFC) axis through nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-кB), modulating cell cycle, interaction with vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), the collapse of cell-cell junction, inhibiting of lymphocyte function associated antigen-1 /intercellular adhesion molecule-1(LFA-1/ICAM-1) and changing of tumor microenvironment. Therefore, it is a potential marker and promising therapy target of HCC.

endocan, Hepatocellular carcinoma, NF-кB, vascular endothelial growth factor, lymphocyte function associated antigen-1