title: [Expression of serum microRNAs (miR-222, miR-181, miR-216) in human hepatocellular carcinoma and its clinical significance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the abnormal expression of microRNAs (miR-216, miR-222, miR-181) in the serum of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its clinical significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum miRNAs expression was investigated in 49 patients with HCC and 25 healthy normal controls by using real-time PCR technique, and then correlations between miRNAs expression and the clinicopathological features and prognosis of HCC patients were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No differences were observed between the HCC patients and healthy controls with respect to the expressions of serum miR-181 and miR-216 (P > 0.05), while miR-222 was found to be significantly overexpressed in HCC serum samples (6.1 ± 6.6 vs 1.2 ± 0.6, P < 0.01). According to the median fold change of miR-222 (3-fold) in all HCC serum samples, we divided the 49 patients into two groups:a low expression group (25 patients) and a high expression group (24 patients).High level of miR-222 expression was correlated with cirrhosis (P < 0.01), tumor number (P = 0.013), portal vein tumor thrombosis (P = 0.002) and TNM stage (P = 0.020), while not correlated with serum alpha-fetoprotein level, tumor size and HbsAg. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the median overall survival in the high miR-222 expression group was significantly shorter than that in the low expression group (8.7 months vs 16.5 months, P = 0.036). In multivariate Cox analysis, TNM stage and serum miR-222 expression were two independent prognostic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum miR-222, upregulated in HCC, maybe helpful in prognosis of HCC patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology; Cancer Center; Guangdong General Hospital;Guangdong Provincial Cardiovascular Institute, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Mei-xiao
authors.initials: MX
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bao-shan
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Pei-jian
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Qing-wen
authors.initials: QW
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Jian-wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Li-gong
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Lu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; C575482:MIRN216 microRNA, human; C525710:MIR222, human; C540193:MIrn181 microRNA, human