Heat stress reduces brown adipose tissue activity by exacerbating mitochondrial damage in type 2 diabetic mice.

Epidemiological evidence shows that diabetic patients are susceptible to high temperature weather, and brown adipose tissue (BAT) activity is closely related to type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Activation of BAT under cold stress helps improve T2DM. However, the impact of high temperature on the activity of BAT is still unclear. The study aimed to investigate the impact of heat stress on glucose and lipid metabolism in T2DM mice by influencing BAT activity. High-fat feeding and injecting streptozotocin (STZ) induced model of T2DM mice. All mice were randomly divided into three groups: a normal(N) group, a diabetes (DM) group and a heat stress diabetes (DMHS) group. The DMHS group received heat stress intervention for 3 days. Fasting blood glucose, fasting serum insulin and blood lipids were measured in all three groups. The activity of BAT was assessed by using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), electron microscopy, and PET CT. Furthermore, the UHPLC-Q-TOF MS technique was employed to perform metabolomics analysis of BAT on both DM group and DMHS group. The results of this study indicated that heat stress aggravated the dysregulation of glucose and lipid metabolism, exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction in BAT and reduced the activity of BAT in T2DM mice. This may be related to the abnormal accumulation of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) in the mitochondria of BAT.

Green fluorescent carbon dots for sensing of quercetin and pH and cell imaging.

Green fluorescent carbon dots (G-CDs) were fabricated from Coptis chinensis directly via one-step hydrothermal treatment for the determination of quercetin (QCT) and pH sensing. The obtained G-CDs have low cytotoxicity, good photostability and excellent water solubility. The optimal excitation wavelength and emission wavelength were 480 and 530 nm. A remarkable emission reduction displayed when QCT was added to the G-CDs and the linear detection range is 0-200 µM, the limit of detection is 4.41 nM. The proposed method was applied to the determination of QCT in Haerbin beer products with satisfactory successful recovery. Furthermore, the G-CDs exhibited sensitive changes to pH and two fluorescent pH sensors in the linear ranges of 2.0-6.0 and 6.0-11.0 were constructed based on this. They also provide a feasible method to measure the pH value of real water samples. Importantly, the fluorescent sensor has been extended to detect QCT in yeast cell, demonstrating the G-CDs present potential biosensing application prospect.

Dietary patterns, uric acid levels, and hyperuricemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Studies investigating the effects of dietary intake on serum uric acid (SUA) and hyperuricemia have yielded inconsistent results. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to assess the associations between various dietary patterns and SUA levels as well as hyperuricemia. Methods: We searched PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases for relevant articles examining the association between dietary intake and SUA levels and/or hyperuricemia published until March 2023. Dietary intake patterns were classified into plant-based, animal-based, and mixed dietary patterns based on predominant foods. The pooled effect sizes of eligible studies and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using random-effects models. Publication bias was assessed using Egger's test. Results: We included 41 studies, comprising 359 317 participants, that investigated the effects of dietary patterns on SUA levels (n = 25) and hyperuricemia (n = 19). Our findings suggested that a plant-based dietary pattern was associated with decreased SUA levels in both interventional (standard mean difference: -0.24 mg dL-1, 95% CI: -0.42, -0.06; I2 = 61.4%) and observational studies (odds ratio (OR): 0.92, 95% CI: 0.89, 0.95, I2 = 91.1%); this association was stronger in men (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.35, 0.58; I2 = 0). We observed that plant- and animal-based dietary patterns were associated with a reduced risk (OR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.67, 0.83, I2 = 93.3%) and an increased risk (OR: 1.38; 95% CI: 1.20, 1.59, I2 = 88.4%) of hyperuricemia, respectively. Conclusions: Collectively, a plant-based dietary pattern is negatively associated with SUA levels and hyperuricemia. Therefore, a plant-based dietary pattern should be recommended for the management of SUA levels and the prevention of hyperuricemia.

Dietary intake patterns during pregnancy and excessive gestational weight gain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) is associated with gestational complications and adverse birth outcomes. Dietary intake is closely related to EGWG; however, evidence of the association between different dietary patterns and EGWG is inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis to systematically evaluate this association using articles from PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases published up to March 1st 2023 and included observational studies revealing an association between EGWG and dietary patterns during pregnancy. Dietary patterns were categorized into three groups: healthy, unhealthy, and mixed. Summary odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using the fixed-effects (I2 < 50%) or random-effects model (I2 ≥ 50%). Fourteen studies from eleven countries, including a total of 77,550 participants, met the inclusion criteria. The overall effect of healthy dietary patterns on EGWG was non-significant. After excluding one result in overweight participants, a significant negative association between healthy dietary patterns and EGWG was found in studies with a priori defined healthy dietary patterns (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.94-1.00, P = 0.047), with sample size <1000 (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48-0.97, P = 0.031), and cohort studies (OR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.95-1.00, P = 0.043). Overall analysis revealed a significant association between unhealthy dietary patterns and EGWG (OR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.02-1.45, P = 0.031), and the results were similar in sub-groups of cohort studies (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.02-1.49, P = 0.009) and those with a sample size < 1000 (OR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.07-1.61, P = 0.03). A healthy dietary pattern instead of an unhealthy dietary pattern is recommended for pregnant women to prevent EGWG. This meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO as CRD42023404179.

A novel lncRNA DFRV plays a dual function in influenza A virus infection.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been associated with a variety of biological activities, including immune responses. However, the function of lncRNAs in antiviral innate immune responses are not fully understood. Here, we identified a novel lncRNA, termed dual function regulating influenza virus (DFRV), elevating in a dose- and time-dependent manner during influenza A virus (IAV) infection, which was dependent on the NFκB signaling pathway. Meanwhile, DFRV was spliced into two transcripts post IAV infection, in which DFRV long suppress the viral replication while DFRV short plays the opposite role. Moreover, DFRV regulates IL-1ß and TNF-α via activating several pro-inflammatory signaling cascades, including NFκB, STAT3, PI3K, AKT, ERK1/2 and p38. Besides, DFRV short can inhibit DFRV long expression in a dose-dependent manner. Collectively, our studies reveal that DFRV may act as a potential dual-regulator to preserve innate immune homeostasis in IAV infection.

Deep learning method for risk identification of autonomous bus operation considering image data augmentation strategies.

OBJECTIVE: The autonomous bus is a key application scenario for autonomous driving technology. Identifying the risk of autonomous bus operation is of great significant to improve road traffic safety and promote the large-scale application of autonomous driving technology. METHODS: For the purpose of risk identification, the actual operation data for autonomous buses in Shanghai were converted into 3 kinds of grayscale images and 1 kind of radar image from a temporal-spatial perspective, and a deep learning convolutional neural network, AlexNet, was applied for image recognition. This article uses several image data augmentation strategies to address the problem of uneven distribution of samples and compares the effectiveness of different strategies. RESULTS: The optimal accuracy (ACC) of the risk identification was 90.4%, the optimal true positive rate (TPR) was 83.7%, and the optimal false negative rate (FPR) was 94.58%. The accuracy of risk identification using AlexNet was higher based on the sample containing Fourier images. In addition, risk identification accuracy based on grayscale images was higher than that based on radar images. CONCLUSIONS: Autonomous buses were found to be vulnerable to risks in areas such as turning sections and intersections. In addition, the results show that the Fourier transform, an image augmentation strategy, can effectively solve the uneven sample distribution problem, and the length of the input time series has an impact on the accuracy of the risk identification.

The synthesis of N-doped carbon dots for visual differentiating and detection of tetracyclines.

N-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) were synthesized from L-glutamine and triethanolamine using a one-step hydrothermal method. The N-CDs emitting blue fluorescence had selective responses to tetracyclines (TCs) and could be used as a fluorescent probe to realize the quantitative detection and qualitative analysis of TCs. A method for the determination of TCs using the N-CDs in actual samples was successfully established. The recovery rate was maintained at 97.50-105.60%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) was less than 3%. In addition, TCs can be visually distinguished using filter paper by the different fluorescence colours (light green, dark blue, and yellow-green) of the N-CDs/TCs system under ultraviolet light. This study provides a relatively simple method to detect and identify TCs.

Simple synthesis of green luminescent N-doped carbon dots for malachite green determination.

In this paper, novel N-doped carbon dots (N-CDs) were prepared from fuchsin basic and ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid-disodium salt (EDTA-2Na). The N-CDs were characterized by a series of techniques and it was found that the average particle size was 2.75 nm, and the surface had functional groups such as -NH2 and -COOH. Interestingly, N-CDs exhibited a fast and sensitive response to malachite green (MG), which may be due to the inner filter effect (IFE). A method for the detection of MG in water samples from Jinyang Lake was developed using N-CDs, with a limit of detection (LOD) as low as 27.28 nM. Furthermore, N-CDs were utilized in the biological imaging of Arabidopsis thaliana.

Fluorescence 'off-on' probe for lead (II) detection based on Atractylodes III CQDs and bioimaging.

In this work, a type of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with bright blue emission was readily fabricated through one-step hydrothermal treatment from Atractylodes III. We explored the surface morphology and optical properties of the CQDs using transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible light spectrophotometry. The obtained CQDs possessed good photoluminescence properties, water solubility, and biocompatibility. The fluorescence quantum yield of these was 3.72%. It was found that the fluorescence intensity of CQDs was quenched by picric acid. After adding lead (II), the fluorescence could be effectively recovered. Therefore, an 'off-on' fluorescence probe was designed to detect lead (II) in the range 0-580 µM and the limit of detection was 0.068 µM. In addition, the experiments showed that the CQDs could be successfully used in bioimaging and as a hidden fluorescent ink.

High quantum yield nitrogen and boron co-doped carbon dots for sensing Ag+, biological imaging and fluorescent inks.

Herein, bright blue-green fluorescent nitrogen and boron co-doped carbon dots (N, B-CDs) with a quantum yield (QY) up to 33.04% were synthesized viahydrothermal treatment from ammonium citrate tribasic and 3-aminophenylboronic acid. The synthesized N, B-CDs showed outstanding water solubility. According to the principle of the static quenching effect (SQE), the synthesized N, B-CDs were utilized as an efficient sensor for sensing Ag+. The linear range and limit of detection (LOD) of the sensor for Ag+ are 0.99-26.04 µM and 9.03 nM (3σ/m). The proposed method was successfully adopted to detect Ag+ in environmental water, which is of great significance to environmental detection. Furthermore, due to the excellent fluorescence performance, the N, B-CDs were found to be an effective tool for biological imaging and as a fluorescent ink, which widens the horizons for the multifunctional applications of N, B-CDs.

Activated Platelet-Homing Nanoplatform for Targeting Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Aneurysm-Related Thrombus in Rabbits.

Thrombosis is closely related to the instability of intracranial aneurysm (IA), whose rupture is associated with high morbidity and mortality. It is difficult to detect an IA-related thrombus because traditional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and even contrast-enhanced MRI cannot clearly distinguish a thrombus from the surrounding tissues. Herein, a nanoplatform [(MFe2O4-ZnDPA nanoparticles (NPs)], consisting of Zn0.4Co0.6Fe2O4@Zn0.4Mn0.6Fe2O4 NPs for imaging and Zn(II)-bis(dipicolylamine) (ZnDPA) for thrombus targeting, is constructed to target an experimental aneurysm-related thrombus in rabbits via MRI. In vitro experiments including platelet safety evaluation primarily prove that MFe2O4-ZnDPA NPs with a high MRI transverse relaxation time (T2) have good biocompatibility. MFe2O4-ZnDPA NPs could target a thrombus via the special interaction between ZnDPA and phosphatidylserine of activated platelets in the thrombus through MRI and Fe quantification assays. Moreover, after MFe2O4-ZnDPA NPs are injected into the ear vein of common carotid artery aneurysm model rabbits, MRI shows that MFe2O4-ZnDPA NPs could accumulate in the aneurysm-related thrombus from 0 to 15 min after injection and decrease in the next 45 min. Meanwhile, MFe2O4-ZnDPA NPs could decrease the MRI T2 signal of the aneurysm-related thrombus to enhance the outline of the aneurysm. This study demonstrates that a nanoplatform can enhance the detection of an aneurysm-related thrombus as well as aneurysm itself to assist further treatment of IA.

One-step synthesis of N, S-doped carbon dots with orange emission and their application in tetracycline antibiotics, quercetin sensing, and cell imaging.

Water soluble N, S-doped carbon dots (N, S-CDs) with orange emission were synthesized from basic fuchsin and sulfosalicylic acid by the typical hydrothermal route. Based on the inner filter effect (IFE), the prepared N, S-CDs can be innovatively developed as an effective "signal-off" multifunctional sensing platform for sensitive determination of tetracycline antibiotics (for example, chlortetracycline (CTC)) and quercetin. The proposed sensor was utilized to realize the determination of CTC in water and milk samples and quercetin in beer sample (λex = 375 nm, λem = 605 nm) with satisfactory recoveries and relative standard deviations (RSD). The linear range and detection limit (LOD) of CTC is 1.24-165 µM and 32.36 nM, respectively. For quercetin, the linear ranges are 0.98-34 µM and 34-165 µΜ, and the LOD is 6.87 nM (3σ/m). By virtue of the good biocompatibility and long-wavelength emission, N, S-CDs were also used in the imaging of oocystis cells and yeast cells, which demonstrated promising applicability for bio-imaging and sensing. In this paper, N, S-doped carbon dots (N, S-CDs) with orange emission (λem = 605 nm) were synthesized from basic fuchsin and sulfosalicylic acid. Based on the inner filter effect (IFE), the prepared N, S-CDs can be innovatively developed as an effective "signal-off" multifunctional sensing platform for the sensing of tetracycline antibiotics (for example: chlortetracycline (CTC)) and quercetin. The sensor has been successfully applied to the determination of CTC in water and milk samples and quercetin in beer sample (λex = 375 nm, λem = 605 nm). The linear range and detection limit (LOD) of CTC is 1.24-165 µM and 32.36 nM respectively. For quercetin, the linear ranges are 0.98-34 µM and 34-165 µΜ, and the LOD is 6.87 nM (3σ/m). In addition, due to the characteristics of good biocompatibility and long-wavelength emission, the N, S-CDs were also used in the imaging of oocystis cells and yeast cells, which demonstrated promising applicability for bioimaging and sensing.

Upregulation of long noncoding RNA W42 promotes tumor development by binding with DBN1 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignancy found globally. Accumulating studies have shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in HCC. However, the function of lncRNA in HCC remains poorly understood. AIM: To understand the effect of lncRNA W42 on HCC and dissect the underlying molecular mechanisms. METHODS: We measured the expression of lncRNA W42 in HCC tissues and cells (Huh7 and SMMC-7721) by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to assess the sensitivity and specificity of lncRNA W42 expression. HCC cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1-lncRNA W42 or shRNA-lncRNA W42. Cell functions were detected by cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, flow cytometry and Transwell assays. The interaction of lncRNA W42 and DBN1 was confirmed by RNA immunoprecipitation and RNA pull down assays. An HCC xenograft model was used to assess the role of lncRNA W42 on tumor growth in vivo. The Kaplan-Meier curve was used to evaluate the overall survival and recurrence-free survival after surgery in patients with HCC. RESULTS: In this study, we identified a novel lncRNA (lncRNA W42), and investigated its biological functions and clinical significance in HCC. LncRNA W42 expression was upregulated in HCC tissues and cells. Overexpression of lncRNA W42 notably promoted the proliferative and invasion of HCC, and inhibited cell apoptosis. LncRNA W42 directly bound to DBN1 and activated the downstream pathway. LncRNA W42 knockdown suppressed HCC xenograft tumor growth in vivo. The clinical investigation revealed that HCC patients with high lncRNA W42 expression exhibited shorter survival times. CONCLUSION: In vitro and in vivo results suggested that the novel lncRNA W42, which is upregulated in HCC, may serve as a potential candidate prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in HCC patients.

Long noncoding RNA AVAN promotes antiviral innate immunity by interacting with TRIM25 and enhancing the transcription of FOXO3a.

Accumulating evidence has shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in several biological processes, including immune responses. However, the role of lncRNAs in antiviral innate immune responses remains largely elusive. Here, we identify an uncharacterized human lncRNA AVAN from influenza A virus (IAV) infected patients, that is significantly upregulated following RNA virus infection. During IAV infection, AVAN play an indispensable role in antiviral immune responses. In vivo, we enforced the expression of AVAN in transgenic mice or adeno-associated virus encoding AVAN delivery system and found that AVAN significantly alleviated IAV virulence and virus replication. Mechanistically, nuclear AVAN positively regulates the transcription of forkhead box O3A (FOXO3a) by associating with its promoter and inducing chromatin remodeling to promote neutrophil chemotaxis. Meanwhile, cytoplasmic AVAN binds directly to the E3 ligase TRIM25 and enhances TRIM25-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination of RIG-I, thereby promoting TRIM25- and RIG-I-mediated antiviral innate immune responses, including the induction of type I interferon and ISGs. Moreover, AVAN binds to the B Box/CCD domain of TRIM25 and 1-200nt of AVAN were the functional moieties. Collectively, our findings highlight the potential clinical implications of human lncRNA AVAN as a key positive regulator of the antiviral innate immune response and a promising target for developing broad antiviral therapeutics.

Machine learning models predict coagulopathy in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage patients in ER.

AIMS: Coagulation abnormality is one of the primary concerns for patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage admitted to ER. Conventional laboratory indicators require hours for coagulopathy diagnosis, which brings difficulties for appropriate intervention within the optimal window. This study evaluates the possibility of building efficient coagulopathy prediction models using data mining and machine learning algorithms. METHODS: A retrospective cohort enrolled 1668 cases with acute spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage from three medical centers, excluding those under antithrombotic therapies. Coagulopathy-related clinical parameters were initially screened by univariate analysis. Two machine learning algorithms, the random forest and the support vector machine, were deployed via an approach of four-fold cross-validation to screen out the most important parameters contributing to the occurrence of coagulopathy. Model discrimination was assessed using metrics, including accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. RESULTS: Albumin/globulin ratio, neutrophil count, lymphocyte percentage, aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, hemoglobin, platelet count, white blood cell count, neutrophil percentage, systolic and diastolic pressure were identified as major predictors to the occurrence of acute coagulopathy. Compared to support vector machine, the model based on the random forest algorithm showed better accuracy (93.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.913-0.950), precision (92.4%, 95% CI: 0.897-0.951), F1 score (91.5%, 95% CI: 0.889-0.964), and recall score (93.6%, 95% CI: 0.909-0.964), and yielded higher area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AU-ROC) (0.962, 95% CI: 0.942-0.982). CONCLUSION: The constructed models exhibit good prediction accuracy and efficiency. It might be used in clinical practice to facilitate target intervention for acute coagulopathy in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage.

SET domain containing 1B gene is mutated in primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors.

Primary hepatic neuroendocrine tumors (PHNETs) are extremely rare NETs originating from the liver. These tumors are associated with heterogeneous prognosis, and few treatment targets for PHNETs have been identified. Because the major genetic alterations in PHNET are still largely unknown, we performed whole-exome sequencing of 22 paired tissues from PHNET patients and identified 22 recurring mutations of somatic genes involved in the following activities: epigenetic modification (BPTF, MECP2 and WDR5), cell cycle (TP53, ATM, MED12, DIDO1 and ATAD5) and neural development (UBR4, MEN1, GLUL and GIGYF2). Here, we show that TP53 and the SET domain containing the 1B gene (SETD1B) are the most frequently mutated genes in this set of samples (3/22 subjects, 13.6%). A biological analysis suggests that one of the three SETD1B mutants, A1054del, promotes cell proliferation, migration and invasion compared to wild-type SETD1B. Our work unveils that SETD1B A1054del mutant is functional in PHNET and implicates genes including TP53 in the disease. Our findings thus characterize the mutational landscapes of PHNET and implicate novel gene mutations linked to PHNET pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.

A novel financial risk assessment model for companies based on heterogeneous information and aggregated historical data.

The financial risk not only affects the development of the company itself, but also affects the economic development of the whole society; therefore, the financial risk assessment of company is an important part. At present, numerous methods of financial risk assessment have been researched by scholars. However, most of the extant methods neither integrated fuzzy sets with quantitative analysis, nor took into account the historical data of the past few years. To settle these defects, this paper proposes a novel financial risk assessment model for companies based on heterogeneous multiple-criteria decision-making (MCDM) and historical data. Subjective and objective indexes are comprehensively taken into consideration in the financial risk assessment index system of the model, which combines fuzzy theory with quantitative data analysis. Moreover, the assessment information obtained from historical financial information of company, credit rating agency and decision makers, including crisp numbers, triangular fuzzy numbers and neutrosophic numbers. Furthermore, the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method is used to determine the ranking order of companies according to their financial risk. Finally, an empirical study of financial risk assessment for companies is conducted, and the results of comparative analysis and sensitivity analysis suggest that the proposed model can effectively and reliably obtain the company with the lowest financial risk.

Decreased long intergenic noncoding RNA P7 predicts unfavorable prognosis and promotes tumor proliferation via the modulation of the STAT1-MAPK pathway in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common neoplasm and is a leading cause of cancer-related death. Despite advances in the diagnosis and management of HCC, its prognosis remain unfavorable. Accumulating evidence has shown that long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs) play central roles in the development of HCC. In this study, we identified a long intergenic noncoding RNA referred to as lincRNA P7 in HCC and explored its clinical significance and biological functions in HCC. The expression level of lincRNA P7 was significantly aberrantly deceased in HCC cancer tissues and cells lines. Gain- and loss-of-function experiments revealed that overexpression of lincRNA P7 significantly inhibited the proliferation of HCC-derived cancer cells, whereas lincRNA P7 knockdown promoted cell growth. Mechanistically, lincRNA P7 blocked Erk1/2 signaling and repressed activation of the STAT1 pathway. In nude mouse models, we show that overexpression of lincRNA P7 effectively repressed HCC xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Moreover, a clinical investigation demonstrated that down-regulated lincRNA P7 expression correlated with liver cirrhosis, Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, clinical stage of the tumor and recurrence. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the expression of lincRNA P7 was significantly related to overall survival (P = 0.003) and recurrence-free survival (P = 0.031). Collectively, our findings suggested that the down-regulation of lincRNA P7 predicts poor clinical outcomes for HCC patients and might be a powerful candidate prognostic biomarker and target in HCC.

Downregulation of BRAF-activated non-protein coding RNA in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been investigated as a novel class of regulators of cellular processes, including cell growth, apoptosis and carcinogenesis. lncRNA BRAF-activated non-protein coding RNA (BANCR) has recently been revealed to be involved in tumorigenesis of numerous types of cancer, including papillary thyroid carcinoma, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer. However, the expression profiles and biological relevance of lncRNA BANCR in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not yet been reported. In the present study, the expression level of BANCR in tumor tissues and para-cancerous tissues was determined by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated HCC, and its association with clinicopathological characteristics of patients was analyzed. The results demonstrated that the expression level of BANCR was significantly reduced in tumor tissues in comparison with in para-cancerous tissues (P<0.001). Furthermore, the present study demonstrated that BANCR expression level was closely associated with serum α-fetoprotein levels (P<0.01) and HCC tumor number (P<0.05). To the best of our knowledge, these results revealed for the first time that BANCR downregulated in patients with HBV-associated HCC and BANCR expression level may be a potential valuable diagnosis and therapeutic biomarker in HCC.