title: Overexpression of polo-like kinase1 predicts a poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate the role of overexpressed polo-like kinase1 (PLK1) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  We prospectively collected clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) data from 135 HCC patients undergoing successful hepatectomy. The correlations between PLK1 mRNA expression and clinicopathologic variables were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test. Prognostic factors were identified by univariate and multivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemical results showed overexpression of PLK1 was mainly found in tumor tissues compared with tumor-free tissue. A similar mRNA result was obtained by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. A total of 111 samples were positive for PLK1 mRNA expression. The positive expression was correlated with venous invasion, tumor nodules and Edmondson grade. Furthermore, 1, 3, 5-year survival rates in the positive expression group were significantly lower than the negative control group. Multivariate analysis showed that positive PLK1 expression was an independent risk factor for HCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PLK1 could be a potential biomarker for diagnosis and therapy for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiangya Second Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, Hunan Province, China.
authors.forename: Zi-Li
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: He
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Xiong-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: De-Wu
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000097869:Polo-Like Kinase 1