摘要
BACKGROUND There is ongoing search for new noninvasive biomarkers to improve management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Studies,mostly from the Asian-Pacific region,demonstrated differential expression of liverspecific microRNA-122(miR-122)in tissue as well as in sera of patients with hepatitis B virus-and hepatitis C virus-induced HCC.AIM To evaluate prognostic value of miR-122 in patients with HCC in a European population and determine potential factors related to alteration of miR-122 in sera.METHODS Patients with confirmed HCC(n=91)were included in the study over a two-year period.Patients were characterized according to Child-Pugh score,Barcelona clinic liver cancer(BCLC)staging system,etiology of liver disease,laboratory parameters and overall survival.MiR-122 was measured in sera using TaqMan assay normalized to spiked-in cel-miR-39.RESULTS Serum miR-122 quantity was independent of the Child-Pugh score,the BCLC stage or the underlying etiology.Significant positive correlation was found between miR-122 and alanine aminotransferase(P<0.0001),aspartate aminotransferase(P=0.0001),alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)(P=0.0034)and hemoglobin concentration(P=0.076).Negative correlation was observed between miR-122 level and creatinine concentration(P=0.0028).AFP,Child-Pugh score and BCLC staging system were associated with survival differences.In overall cohort low miR-122 in sera was only associated with a trend for a better overall survival without reaching statistical significance.Subgroup analysis revealed that low miR-122 was significantly associated with better prognosis in patients with advanced cirrhosis(Child-Pugh class B/C),advanced tumor stage(BCLC B/C/D)and normal AFP(<7 ng/mL).CONCLUSION Our results strongly support the value of miR-122 as potential biomarker of liver injury and probably prognosis.Nevertheless,the value of miR-122 in prediction of prognosis of HCC patients was limited to certain patients’subgroups.Since circulating miR-122 may be influenced by impaired renal function,AFP and hemoglobin concentration,those factors need to be considered while interpreting miR-122 level.
BACKGROUND There is ongoing search for new noninvasive biomarkers to improve management of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC). Studies, mostly from the Asian-Pacific region, demonstrated differential expression of liverspecific microRNA-122(miR-122) in tissue as well as in sera of patients with hepatitis B virus-and hepatitis C virus-induced HCC.AIM To evaluate prognostic value of miR-122 in patients with HCC in a European population and determine potential factors related to alteration of miR-122 in sera.METHODS Patients with confirmed HCC(n = 91) were included in the study over a two-year period. Patients were characterized according to Child-Pugh score, Barcelona clinic liver cancer(BCLC) staging system, etiology of liver disease, laboratory parameters and overall survival. MiR-122 was measured in sera using TaqMan assay normalized to spiked-in cel-miR-39.RESULTS Serum miR-122 quantity was independent of the Child-Pugh score, the BCLC stage or the underlying etiology. Significant positive correlation was found between miR-122 and alanine aminotransferase(P < 0.0001), aspartate aminotransferase(P = 0.0001), alpha-fetoprotein(AFP)(P = 0.0034) and hemoglobin concentration(P = 0.076). Negative correlation was observed between miR-122 level and creatinine concentration(P = 0.0028). AFP, ChildPugh score and BCLC staging system were associated with survival differences.In overall cohort low miR-122 in sera was only associated with a trend for a better overall survival without reaching statistical significance. Subgroup analysis revealed that low miR-122 was significantly associated with better prognosis in patients with advanced cirrhosis(Child-Pugh class B/C), advanced tumor stage(BCLC B/C/D) and normal AFP(< 7 ng/mL).CONCLUSION Our results strongly support the value of miR-122 as potential biomarker of liver injury and probably prognosis. Nevertheless, the value of miR-122 in prediction of prognosis of HCC patients was limited to certain patients’ subgroups. Since circulating miR-122 may be influenced by impaired renal function, AFP and hemoglobin concentration, those factors need to be considered while interpreting miR-122 level.
