title: FGFR4 and TGF-β1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma: correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression and correlation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 (FGFR4) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the relationship with clinicopathological features and prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of TGF-β1 and FGFR4 in 126 HCC samples was detected immunohistochemically. Combined with clinical postoperative follow-up data, the expression of TGF-β1 and FGFR4 in HCC and the relationship with the prognosis of patients were analyzed by statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive expression rate of TGF-β1 was 84.1% (106/126) in tumors, and that in peritumoral liver tissues was 64.3% (81/126); the positive expression rate of FGFR4 in tumors was 74.6% (94/126) and that in peritumoral liver tissues was 57.1% (72/126). The expression of TGF-β1 and FGFR4 in the carcinoma tissues was significantly higher than that in peritumoral liver tissues (p < 0.05). Intratumoral TGF-β1 and FGFR4 expression was associated with TNM stage (p < 0.05). TGF-β1 and FGFR4 expression levels didn't significantly correlate with other clinicopathological parameters, including age, sex, tumor size, serum AFP level, tumor differentiation, lymph node metastasis, etc. (p > 0.05). TGF-β1 expression was positively correlated with FGFR4 expression (r = 0.595, p < 0.05). Patients with positive FGFR4 or TGF-β1 expression had shorter overall survival compared with negative expression (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of TGF-β1 and FGFR4 could make synergy on the occurrence and progression of HCC, and may be used as prognosis indicators for HCC patients.
authors: 1. Department of Biopharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Wenzhou Medical University, Zhejiang, Wenzhou (China).
authors: Zhixin
authors: Z
authors: Chen
authors: Bao
authors: B
authors: Xie
authors: Qinhua
authors: Q
authors: Zhu
authors: Qinghai
authors: Q
authors: Xia
authors: Songmin
authors: S
authors: Jiang
authors: Ruoyu
authors: R
authors: Cao
authors: Lihua
authors: L
authors: Shi
authors: Dansi
authors: D
authors: Qi
authors: Xiaokun
authors: X
authors: Li
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Cai
mesh_terms: D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D051499:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C496371:FGFR4 protein, human; D051499:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 4
keywords: FGFR4; TGF-β1; hepatocellular carcinoma; immunohistochemistry; prognosis.