title: [Expression of miRNA-29b and its clinical significances in primary hepatic carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the clinical value of miRNA-29b expression and the combined detection of serum miRNA-29b and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in the diagnosis of primary hepatic carcinoma(PHC).
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2007 to May 2010, the serum levels of miRNA-29b and AFP from 96 healthy controls and 87 PHC patients were measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) respectively. The relationship of miRNA-29b and various clinical parameters was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum levels of miRNA-29b in PHC pre-operative group (0.250 (0.124 - 0.381)) significantly decreased versus the control group [0.860 (0.587 - 1.338)] and the post-operative group (0.890 (0.637 - 1.414)) (P < 0.001). Also, the levels of AFP in PHC pre-operative group (65.4 (20.1 - 212.3)) was obviously higher than that in the control group (13.3 (7.1 - 19.8)) and the post-operative group (23.2 (11.6 - 55.7)) (P < 0.001). A lower expression of miRNA-29b was correlated with lower differentiation and higher TNM stages (P < 0.045, P < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier curve analysis revealed that PHC patients with a low serum expression of miRNA-29b had a significantly shortened overall survival when compared with a high serum expression of miRNA-29b (25.52 vs 36.94 months, P = 0.008). Multivariable Cox regression analysis indicated that the serum expression of miRNA-29b was an independent risk factor for overall survival. Relative risk was 0.482 (95% confidence interval: 0.236 - 0.985). The critical values for miRNA-29b and AFP were determined at 0.38 and 23.1 µg/L through the ROC curves. Under the critical value, the sensitivity of miRNA-29b and AFP were 75.9% and 70.1% and the specificity of miRNA-29b and AFP 89.5% and 92.7% respectively. Combined detection could increase the sensitivity up to 87.3%, and achieve a specificity of 88.5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combined detection of miRNA-29b and AFP aids the diagnosis of PHC and the prediction of its prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Jian-jian
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Fu-jun
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Pei-hong
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Yong-heng
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Bi-cheng
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C532045:MIRN29a microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins