Expression and prognostic value of HER-2/neu, STAT3 and SOCS3 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background And Aims: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a complex and heterogeneous tumor with several genomic alterations, while the viral-chemical etiology along with molecular mechanisms of HCC pathogenesis remains largely unknown. This study aimed to determine expression profile and prognostic value of HER-2/neu, STAT3 and SOCS3 in HCC.

Methods: Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were performed to evaluate the expression of HER-2/neu, STAT3 and SOCS3 in HCC tissues and adjacent normal tissues collected from 176 HCC patients.

Microbial production of 2,3-butanediol by a surfactant (serrawettin)-deficient mutant of Serratia marcescens H30.

Serrawettin W1 produced by Serratia marcescens is a surface-active exolipid resulting in a lot foam formation during the 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) fermentation process. In order to avoid excessive addition of antifoam agent and microbial contamination, S. marcescens mutants deficient in serrawettin W1 formation were successfully constructed through insertional inactivation of the swrW gene coding for serrawettin W1 synthase.