Ginkgetin Alleviates Intervertebral Disc Degeneration by Inhibiting Apoptosis, Inflammation, and Disturbance of Extracellular Matrix Synthesis and Catabolism via Inactivation of NLRP3 Inflammasome.

BACKGROUND: Apoptosis, inflammation, and the extracellular matrix (ECM) synthesis and catabolism are compromised with intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Ginkgetin (GK) has been demonstrated to alleviate several diseases; however, its effect on IDD remains unknown. METHODS: The nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) were stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1ß to construct the IDD models in vitro. Rats were used for the construction of the IDD models in vivo via the fibrous ring puncture method. The effect and mechanism of GK on IDD were determined by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), flow cytometry, western blot, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), enzyme­linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and safranine O staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) assays, respectively. RESULTS: GK increased the cell viability and upregulated the expressions of anti-apoptosis and ECM synthesis markers in NPCs treated with IL-1ß. GK also decreased apoptosis rate, and downregulated the expressions of proteins related to pro-apoptosis, ECM catabolism, and inflammation in vitro. Mechanically, GK reduced the expression of nucleotide binding oligomeric domain like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-related proteins. Overexpression of NLRP3 reversed the effect of GK on the proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and ECM degradation in IL-1ß-induced NPCs. Moreover, GK attenuated the pathological manifestations, inflammation, ECM degradation, and NLRP3 inflammasome expression in IDD rats. CONCLUSION: GK suppressed apoptosis, inflammation, and ECM degradation to alleviate IDD via the inactivation of NLRP3 inflammasome.

Research relating to three-dimensional (3D) printing in spine surgery: a bibliometric analysis.

PURPOSE: Although numerous publications on three-dimensional printing (3DP) in spine surgery have been published, bibliometric analysis studies are scarce. Thus, this study aimed to present a bibliometric analysis of the status, hot spots, and frontiers of 3DP in spine surgery and associated research disciplines. METHODS: All publications relating to the utilization of 3DP in spine surgery from 1999 to May 9, 2022, were retrieved from the Web of Science. The bibliometric analysis was performed using CiteSpace software, and information on the country, institution, author, journal, and keywords for each publication was collected. RESULTS: A total of 270 articles were identified. From 2016 onward, a significant increase in publications on spinal surgery was observed. China was the most productive and influential country (98 publications) and H-index (22), followed by the USA and Australia. The most productive institution was Capital Medical University (9 publications). P. S. D'urso (8 publications, 46 citations) and R. J. Mobbs (8 publications, 39 citations) were the most prolific authors. European Spine Journal contributed the highest number of publications. The eight main clusters were: "rapid prototyping" #0, "3D printed" #1, "spine fusion" #2, "scoliosis" #3, "spine surgery" #4, "patient-specific" #5, "nervous system" #6, and "neuronavigation" #7. The strongest keyword bursts in 3DP in spine surgery were "fixation," "drill template," "instrumentation," "fusion," "complication," and "atlantoaxial instability." CONCLUSION: This analysis provides information on research trends and frontiers in the application of 3DP in spine surgery, as well as research and collaboration partners, institutions, and countries.

Leukoreduced PRP enhanced proliferation and ECM production yet inhibited senescence, inflammation, and multi-differentiation potential of AFSCs by downregulating HMGB1.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed the role and potential mechanism of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the progression of intervertebral disk degeneration (IVDD). METHODS: Annulus fibrosus (AF)-derived stem cells (AFSCs) from New Zealand white rabbits received the transfection with high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) plasmids and the subsequent treatment with bleomycin, 10% leukoreduced PRP or leukoconcentrated PRP. Dying cells were indicated by immunocytochemistry analysis for senescence-associated ß-galactosidase (SA-ß-gal) staining. The proliferation of these cells was evaluated based on the population doubling time (PDT). The expressions of HMGB1, pro-aging and anti-aging molecules, extracellular matrix (ECM)-related catabolic/anabolic factors, and inflammatory genes at the molecular or transcriptional levels were quantified via Western blot or reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Besides, the adipocytes, osteocytes, and chondrocytes were separately dyed by Oil Red O, Alizarin Red S, and Safranin O staining. RESULTS: Bleomycin enhanced the senescent morphological changes and increased the PDT and the expressions of SA-ß-gal, pro-aging molecules, ECM-related catabolic factors, inflammatory genes, and HMGB1 while suppressing the expressions of anti-aging and anabolic molecules. Leukoreduced PRP reversed the effects of bleomycin and inhibited the differentiation of AFSCs into adipocytes, osteocytes, and chondrocytes. Besides, HMGB1 overexpression offset the roles of leukoreduced PRP in AFSCs. CONCLUSION: Leukoreduced PRP promotes cell proliferation and ECM production of AFSCs, while inhibiting their senescence, inflammation, and multi-differentiation potentials via downregulating HMGB1 expression.

In Situ X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Metal/Nitrogen-doped Carbons in Oxygen Electrocatalysis.

Metal/nitrogen-doped carbons (M-N-C) are promising candidates as oxygen electrocatalysts due to their low cost, tunable catalytic activity and selectivity, and well-dispersed morphologies. To improve the electrocatalytic performance of such systems, it is critical to gain a detailed understanding of their structure and properties through advanced characterization. In situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) serves as a powerful tool to probe both the active sites and structural evolution of catalytic materials under reaction conditions. In this review, we firstly provide an overview of the fundamental concepts of XAS and then comprehensively review the setup and application of in situ XAS, introducing electrochemical XAS cells, experimental methods, as well as primary functions on catalytic applications. The active sites and the structural evolution of M-N-C catalysts caused by the interplay with electric fields, electrolytes and reactants/intermediates during the oxygen evolution reaction and the oxygen reduction reaction are subsequently discussed in detail. Finally, major challenges and future opportunities in this exciting field are highlighted.

Letter to the editor regarding "Full­endoscopic (bi­portal or uni­portal) versus microscopic lumbar decompression laminectomy in patients with spinal stenosis: systematic review and meta­analysis".

A recent article entitled "Full­endoscopic (bi­portal or uni­portal) versus microscopic lumbar decompression laminectomy in patients with spinal stenosis: systematic review and meta­analysis" written by Pairuchvej et al. (Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 30(4):595-611, 2019) published in "European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology" has aroused our great interest. The authors concluded that compared with minimally invasive decompression surgery, full endoscopic spinal surgery had better pain relief (back pain and leg pain) in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis and had a lower complication rate, but no statistical difference in oswestry disability index score and operative time between both groups. Comparing to minimally invasive spinal surgery, bi-portal endoscopic spinal surgery had better back pain relief in the early stage, while uni-portal full endoscopic spinal surgery had better pain relief in the leg and a lower rate of complications.

Bibliometric analysis and visualization of research trends on oblique lumbar interbody fusion surgery.

PURPOSE: To determine trends and hot subjects in the field of oblique lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) research during the last decade using bibliometric analysis and visualization tools, in order to assist researchers in exploring new directions for future research in that field. METHODS: Articles published from January 1, 2012, to August 15, 2021, were screened in the Web of Science database. The data were analyzed with CiteSpace software, which generated visualization knowledge maps. All literature was assessed for the following parameters: the number of total publications, distribution, h-index, institutions, journals, authors, co-occurrence state, and research hotspots. RESULTS: A total of 173 articles were identified. The country with the largest number of articles was China (41.04%), followed by South Korea (20.81%), the USA (15.61%), Japan (9.83%), and Thailand (2.89%). South Korea and the USA had the highest h-index (9), followed by China (8), Japan (7), and Thailand (2). Catholic University of Korea was the organization that produced the most literature. World Neurosurgery published the most papers about OLIF (12.50%), but articles in Spine were most frequently cited (151). Kim JS was the most productive author, whereas Silvestre C was the most cited author. The main research hotspots are anatomy, discectomy, approach, injure, and diseases. CONCLUSIONS: The number of publications in the field of OLIF has increased considerably in recent years. The USA, China, South Korea, and Japan have made substantial contributions to this field. Anatomy, complications, decompression surgery, and application in various degenerative lumbar diseases have been the research hotspots in recent years.

Postoperative Pain Management after Full Endoscopic Lumbar Discectomy: An Observational Study.

Background: Surgical incision pain, rebound pain, and recurrence can manifest themselves in different forms of postoperative pain after full endoscopic lumbar discectomy (FELD). This study aims to evaluate various postoperative pains after FELD and summarize their characteristics. Methods: Data about the demographic characteristics of patients, pain intensity, and functional assessment results were collected from January 2016 to September 2019. Clinical outcomes including Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and visual analog scale (VAS) scores, were obtained. Results: A total of 206 patients were enrolled. ODI and VAS of the patients significantly decreased after FELD at 12-month follow-up. A total of 193 (93.7%) patients had mild surgical incision pain after FELD and generally a VAS < 4, and it mostly resolved on its own within 3 days. A total of 12 (5.8%) patients experienced rebound pain, which was typically characterized by pain (mainly leg pain with or without back pain), generally occurring within 2 weeks after FELD and lasting < 3 weeks. The pain levels of rebound pain were equal to or less than those of preoperative pain, and generally scored a VAS of < 6. The recurrence rate was 4.4%. Recurrence often occurs within three months after surgery, with the pain level of the recurrence being greater than or equal to the preoperative pain. Conclusions: Different types of postoperative pain have their own unique characteristics and durations, and treatment options are also distinct. Conservative treatment and analgesia may be indicated for rebound pain and surgical incision pain, but recurrence usually requires surgical treatment.

Ag-modified Fe2O3 nanoparticles on a carbon cloth as an anode material for high-performance supercapacitors.

By exploiting the storage performance of supercapacitors, iron has the potential to be used as a new anode material. However, this potential is limited by unsatisfactory electrical conductivity and poor cycling stability which impact the energy and power density. Consequently a foundation for improving the electrical conductivity and cycling stability of iron materials to obtain good storage performance is needed. In this work, Ag-modified Fe2O3 nanoparticles on carbon cloth were synthesized as an anode material for supercapacitors. The specific capacitance of the composite material reaches 10.39 F cm-2 (2734.2 F g-1) at a current density of 1 mA cm-2 and remains at 83% of this value after 12 000 cycles. The energy density is 379.8 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 131.6 W kg-1 and remains at 123.9 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 2631.6 W kg-1. The electrical conductivity and interfacial effect created between Ag@Fe2O3 is confirmed with density functional theory calculations. The packaged asymmetric supercapacitor devices have flexibility and can light ten LEDs for 2 min 30 s, with an energy density of 60.3 Wh kg-1 that can be reached at a power density of 1063.8 W kg-1 and remain at 16 Wh kg-1 even at a power density of 4255.3 W kg-1.

Interaction mechanism between multi-layered MoS2 and H2O2 for self-generation of reactive oxygen species.

Elucidating the generation mechanism of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is essential for advanced oxidation processes with respect to environmental and biological sciences. Herein, self-generation of ROS such as hydroxyl radicals (·OH), superoxide radicals (O2•-) and singlet oxygen (1O2) from the interaction between multi-layered flowerlike MoS2 nanosheets and H2O2 is presented. The results demonstrate that H2O2 can exfoliate multi-layered MoS2 into quantum dots and promote a 2H to 1 T phase change accompanied by the dissolution of MoS2 to produce H+, MoO42- and SO42-. Electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy confirm the production of ·OH, superoxide radicals O2•- and 1O2 in the MoS2/H2O2 system. The calculation data based on density functional theory (DFT) indicate that the 1 T-MoS2 can lower the free energy profiles for stepwise catalytic decomposition of H2O2 to produce ROS as compared to 2H-MoS2.

Single-Agent versus Combination Doxorubicin-Based Transarterial Chemoembolization in the Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Single-Blind, Randomized, Phase II Trial.

OBJECTIVES: It was the aim of this study to find an optimal therapeutic regimen of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) by comparing the efficacy of chemoembolization with different anticancer agents in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. METHODS: A single-blind, three-group parallel, randomized trial was conducted in Guangdong General Hospital, Guangzhou, China, with patients with biopsy-confirmed HCC. Group 1 received single-drug (doxorubicin) chemoembolization, while group 2 received double-drug (doxorubicin and mitomycin C) chemoembolization. Patients in group 3 were treated with triple-drug (doxorubicin, mitomycin C, and gemcitabine) chemoembolization. Lipiodol was used as embolization agent in all protocols. We compared the overall survival (OS), time to progression (TTP), and objective response rate (ORR) between groups. Response assessment was performed according to modified RECIST (Response Evaluation Criteria In Solid Tumors) criteria. RESULTS: Between January 2008 and January 2011, 162 patients (group 1, n = 50; group 2, n = 59; group 3, n = 53) were recruited. The OS and TTP in groups 1, 2, and 3 were 14.9 and 6.4, 13.2 and 6.4, and 20.5 and 6.8 months, respectively. OS and TTP were statistically significant among groups (p = 0.002 and p = 0.037). The ORR was 22.0, 40.7, and 56.6%, respectively. The ORR was significantly different across the three groups (p < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: TACE with multiple chemotherapeutic agents might significantly increase survival and tumor response; additionally, gemcitabine was likely to have an advantage in improving the prognosis of HCC patients. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Genetic variants in the KDR gene is associated with the prognosis of transarterial chemoembolization treated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Kinase insert domain receptor (KDR) is the principal receptor that promotes the proangiogenic action of vascular endothelial growth factor and is involved in the tumorigenesis and progression of many malignancies, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of KDR have been reported to be with the risk and prognosis of several malignancies. Our aim was to determine whether SNPs in KDR gene are associated with clinical outcomes in HCC patients treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization. A total of 192 HCC patients were tested for KDR SNPs, and the SNP results were correlated with progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The association of the SNPs with the overall survival (OS) of patients was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method, and then Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess the variables resulted significant at univariate analysis. No significant differences were found in correlation between KDR SNPs and patients' PFS. Our data showed that genotype AA+TA of rs1870377 and genotype CC+TC of rs2071559 were significantly associated with overall survival of HCC patients (P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively) and remained as significant predictors for OS adjusting for high level of serum AFP (>400 µg/L), existence of portal vein tumor thrombus, and high BCLC stage (HR=0.61; 95% CI, 0.36-0.88; P=0.003 and HR=0.54; 95% CI, 0.40-0.94; P=0.002, respectively). Our results suggest that SNPs rs1870377 and rs2071559 in the KDR gene may serve as independent prognosis biomarkers for unresectable HCC patient, which warranted further validating investigation.

Serum microRNA-210 as a predictive biomarker for treatment response and prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transarterial chemoembolization.

PURPOSE: To investigate whether serum microRNA-210 (miR-210) level can serve as an indicator of prognosis and a predictor of efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum miR-210 level was measured in 113 patients with HCC before transarterial chemoembolization (t1), 3 days after transarterial chemoembolization (t2), and 4 weeks after transarterial chemoembolization (t3) and compared with 39 healthy control subjects. The correlations between miR-210 levels and clinicopathologic factors, tumor responsiveness, and prognosis were analyzed. The modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors assessment was conducted at t3. RESULTS: A higher mean baseline miR-210 level was observed in patients with HCC compared with control subjects (3.69 ± 2.04 vs 1.08 ± 0.45, P < .001). A positive correlation between baseline miR-210 level and tumor size (P < .001), vascular invasion (P = .005), tumor differentiation (P = .037), and Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer stage (P < .001) was observed. Elevated baseline miR-210 level also served as an independent prognostic factor predicting poor overall survival (risk ratio, 2.082; P = .003). Patients who did not respond to transarterial chemoembolization had higher baseline miR-210 levels than patients who did respond to treatment (4.34 ± 1.67 vs 3.28 ± 2.15, P < .001). In addition, miR-210 levels increased significantly 4 weeks after transarterial chemoembolization in nonresponders (5.79 ± 2.06 at t3 vs 4.34 ± 1.67 at t1, P < .001), whereas no significant change was observed in responders (3.53 ± 2.20 at t3 vs 3.28 ± 2.15 at t1, P = .116). Lastly, an inverse correlation was identified between miR-210 change t1-t3 with the time to radiologic progression (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Serum miR-210 may represent a novel biomarker for predicting efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization and overall survival for patients with HCC.

[Clinical application of serum Golgi protein 73 in the diagnosis and progress of hepatocellular carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical application of serum GP73 in the diagnosis and progress of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to quantitatively detect serum GP73 in 59 HCC patients, 23 cases of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cirrhosis and 33 normal controls. The relationship between GP73 and diagnosis as well as progress of HCC was examined. RESULTS: Significant differences existed when serum GP73 was categorized by Child-Pugh class A and B (P < 0.01). There was no correlation between GP73 levels and other parameters including age, gender, BCLC staging, HBV infection, tumor size, extrahepatic metastasis and tumor numbers. The serum GP73 with a mean level of [127 (147) µg/L, M(QR)] in HCC patients was significantly higher than that in normal controls or those with HBV-liver cirrhosis (P < 0.01). Based on the ROC curve analysis, the cut-off value was 99 µg/L with 64.4% sensitivity and 96.4% specificity. The sensitivity of diagnosing HCC with GP73 plus AFP improved (P = 0.025) , but not in specificity.Serum GP73 and AFP did not change greatly in terms of response assessment in mRECIST from baseline to progressive disease (P = 0.959, P = 0.788).No correlation existed between baseline concentration of GP73 with AFP and time to progression (r = 0.119, P = 0.608; r = 0.142, P = 0.540) . CONCLUSION: GP73 may become a potential serum marker for diagnosing HCC. And a combination of AFP yields better outcomes. The exact relationship between mRECIST and GP73 as well as AFP shall be proved by large-scale clinical trials.

Controllable Phase Separation Engineering of Iron-Cobalt Alloy Heterojunction for Efficient Water Oxidation.

The tailor-made transition metal alloy-based heterojunctions hold a promising prospect for the electrocatalytic oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Herein, a series of iron-cobalt bimetallic alloy heterojunctions are purposely designed and constructed via a newly developed controllable phase separation engineering strategy. The results show that the phase separation process and alloy component distribution rely on the metal molar ratio (Fe/Co), indicative of the metal content dependent behavior. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the electronic structure and charge distribution of iron-cobalt bimetallic alloy can be modulated and optimized, thus leading to the formation of an electron-rich interface layer, which likely tunes the d-band center and reduces the adsorption energy barrier toward electrocatalytic intermediates. As a result, the Fe0.25Co0.75/Co heterojunction exhibits superior OER activity with a low overpotential of 185 mV at 10 mA cm-2. Moreover, it can reach industrial-level current densities and excellent durability in high-temperature and high-concentration electrolyte (30 wt % KOH), exhibiting enormous potential for industrial applications.

Trifluoperazine activates AMPK / mTOR / ULK1 signaling pathway to induce mitophagy in osteosarcoma cells.

Osteosarcoma is a prevalent kind of primary bone malignancy. Trifluoperazine, as an antipsychotic drug, has anti-tumor activity against a variety of cancers. Nevertheless, the impact of trifluoperazine on osteosarcoma is unclear. Our investigation aimed to explore the mechanism of trifluoperazine's effect on osteosarcoma. We found that trifluoperazine inhibited 143B and U2-OS osteosarcoma cell proliferation in a method based on the dose. Furthermore, it was shown that trifluoperazine induced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to cause mitochondrial damage and induced mitophagy in osteosarcoma cells. Finally, combined with RNA-seq results, we first demonstrated the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway as a potential mechanism of trifluoperazine-mediated mitophagy in osteosarcoma cells and can be suppressed by AMPK inhibitor Compound C.

Development and validation of a deep-learning model for the detection of non-displaced femoral neck fractures with anteroposterior and lateral hip radiographs.

Background: Hip fractures, including femoral neck fractures, are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly population and are typically diagnosed using plain radiography. However, diagnosing non-displaced femoral neck fractures can be challenging due to their subtle appearance on hip radiographs. Previous deep-learning models have shown low accuracy in identifying these fractures on anteroposterior (AP) radiographs; however, no studies have used lateral radiographs. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of using deep-learning with both AP and lateral hip radiographs to automatically identify non-displaced femoral neck fractures. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patients with femoral neck fractures at The First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University. All the hip radiographs were reviewed, and cases of non-displaced femoral neck fractures were included in the study. Additionally, 439 participants with normal hip radiographs were also included in the study. A vision transformer (Vit) model was developed using 1,536 AP and lateral hip radiograph. The model's performance was compared to the performance of two groups of human observers: an expert group comprising orthopedic surgeons and radiologists, and a non-expert group, including emergency physicians and general practice doctors. We also carried out the external validation using two additional data sets to assess the generalizability of the model. Results: The Vit model showed exceptional performance in detecting non-displaced femoral neck fractures on paired AP and lateral hip radiographs, achieving a binary accuracy of 95.8% [95% confidence interval (CI): 94.9%, 96.8%] and an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.988. Compared to the human observers, the model had a higher accuracy of 96.7% (95% CI: 93.9%, 99.5%) on the paired AP and lateral hip radiographs, while the accuracy of the expert group was 90.5% (95% CI: 85.7%, 95.2%). Further, the model maintained good performance during the external validation, with an AUC of 0.959 on the paired AP and lateral views. Conclusions: Our Vit model showed expert-level performance in identifying non-displaced femoral neck fractures on paired AP and lateral hip radiographs. This model has the potential to enhance diagnosis accuracy and improve patient outcomes by reducing the need for additional examinations and preoperative time.

[Prognostic significance of serum level of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the prognostic significance of serum vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE). METHODS: A total of 69 HCC patients undergoing TACE from October 2008 to April 2012 were recruited and examined. Their serum level of VEGFR-2 level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The relationship between VEGFR-2 and their clinicopathologic features were observed. Prognostic significance of VEGFR-2 was assessed for their survival. RESULTS: Significant differences existed when the serum level of VEGFR-2 was categorized by tumor number and liver cirrhosis (P = 0.021, P = 0.049). The post-treatment serum level of VEGFR-2 was significant higher than that at pre-treatment (P = 0.045). When the mean pre-treatment serum level of VEGFR-2 (8709 ng/L) was used as a cut-off point, the patients with a low serum level of VEGFR-2 had better overall and progression-free survival than those with a high serum level of VEGF (17 vs. 28 months, P = 0.001 and 10 vs. 15 months P = 0.031 respectively). As revealed by multivariate Cox analysis, the pre-treatment serum level of VEGFR-2 was an independent and significant prognostic factor of survival for HCC patients at post-TACE. CONCLUSION: The pre-treatment serum level of VEGFR-2 may predict the post-TACE prognosis in HCC patients.

[Expression of serum microRNAs (miR-222, miR-181, miR-216) in human hepatocellular carcinoma and its clinical significance].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the abnormal expression of microRNAs (miR-216, miR-222, miR-181) in the serum of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its clinical significance. METHODS: Serum miRNAs expression was investigated in 49 patients with HCC and 25 healthy normal controls by using real-time PCR technique, and then correlations between miRNAs expression and the clinicopathological features and prognosis of HCC patients were evaluated. RESULTS: No differences were observed between the HCC patients and healthy controls with respect to the expressions of serum miR-181 and miR-216 (P > 0.05), while miR-222 was found to be significantly overexpressed in HCC serum samples (6.1 ± 6.6 vs 1.2 ± 0.6, P < 0.01). According to the median fold change of miR-222 (3-fold) in all HCC serum samples, we divided the 49 patients into two groups:a low expression group (25 patients) and a high expression group (24 patients).High level of miR-222 expression was correlated with cirrhosis (P < 0.01), tumor number (P = 0.013), portal vein tumor thrombosis (P = 0.002) and TNM stage (P = 0.020), while not correlated with serum alpha-fetoprotein level, tumor size and HbsAg. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the median overall survival in the high miR-222 expression group was significantly shorter than that in the low expression group (8.7 months vs 16.5 months, P = 0.036). In multivariate Cox analysis, TNM stage and serum miR-222 expression were two independent prognostic factors. CONCLUSION: Serum miR-222, upregulated in HCC, maybe helpful in prognosis of HCC patients.