Expression of microRNA-122 and microRNA-22 in HBV-related liver cancer and the correlation with clinical features

D.-D. Qiao, J. Yang, X.-F. Lei, G.-L. Mi, S.-L. Li, K. Li, C.-Q. Xu, H.-L. Yang

Shandong Provincial Mental Health Center, Jinan, China. hongliyang588@sina.com

---

• Oncology

OBJECTIVE: MicroRNAs (miR) participate in cell proliferation, apoptosis and transformation, as they can regulate gene expression and intracellular signal transduction for various physiological processes. MiR-122 and miR-22 are known to be related with occurrence and progression of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular cancer (HCC). This study recruited HBV-related HCC patients, whose expression levels of miR-122 and miR-22 were determined to analyze the correlation with clinical and pathological indexes.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: HBV-related HCC patients were enrolled, in parallel with patients suffering from benign liver disease and non-HBV-related HCC. Real-time PCR was employed to measure miR-122 and miR-22 expression levels.

RESULTS: The relative expression levels of miR-122 and miR-22 in HBV-related HCC patients were 1.26 ± 2.73 and 5.49 ± 3.91, respectively, which were significantly lower than that in benign liver disease or non-HBV-related HCC patients (p < 0.05). No significant difference of serum miR-122 or miR-22 levels was found between benign liver disease and non-HBV-related HCC patients (p > 0.05). The miR-122 and miR-22 levels were negatively correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, pathological type, differentiation grade, liver cirrhosis, AFP and HBV DNA, all of which were independent risk factors (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: MiR-122 and miR-22 were downregulated in HBV-related HCC patients, and were related with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, pathological type, differentiation grade, liver cirrhosis, AFP and HBV DNA.

Free PDF Download