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| hMex-3A is associated with poor prognosis and contributes to the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma |
| Yi-Fan Liu a , b , Xiao-Yan Sun a , b , Jia-Kai Zhang c , d , Zhi-Hui Wang c , d , Zhi-Gang Ren e , Jie Li a , b , Wen-Zhi Guo a , b , c , d , Shui-Jun Zhang a , b , c , d , ∗ |
a Zhengzhou Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Diseases and Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou 450052, China
b Henan Key Laboratory of Digestive Organ Transplantation, Zhengzhou 450052, China
c Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
d Open and Key Laboratory of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery and Digestive Organ Transplantation at Henan Universities, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
e Department of Infectious Diseases, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
∗ Corresponding author at: Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
E-mail address: zhangshuijun@zzu.edu.cn (S.-J. Zhang). |
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Abstract Background: HMex-3A, an RNA-binding protein, was found to be associated with tumorigenesis. However, the roles of hMex-3A in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression remained unclear.
Methods: The different expression of hMex-3A between HCC tissues and non-tumor tissues was evaluated using The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Thereafter, the hMex-3A expression was evaluated in HCC tissues using Western blotting and qRT-PCR. Immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate the association between hMex-3A level and clinicopathological features including prognosis in HCC patients. In addition, we used si-hMex-3A to knockdown hMex-3A in HCC cells to test Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, cell migration and invasion.
Results: The hMex-3A expression was significantly elevated in HCC tissues. Analysis of the clinicopathological parameters suggested that hMex-3A expression was significantly associated with pathological grade ( P = 0.019) and TNM stage ( P = 0.001) in HCC. Moreover, univariate and multivariate Cox-regression analyses revealed that high hMex-3A expression (HR = 1.491, 95% CI: 1.107–2.007; P = 0.009) was an independent risk factor for overall survival in HCC patients. Finally, we confirmed that si-hMex-3A could significantly inhibit HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in vitro.
Conclusions: hMex-3A may contribute to the progression of HCC and might be used as a novel therapeutic target and prognostic marker in HCC.
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2021, Vol. 20 
