title: MACC1 expression correlates with PFKFB2 and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To validate the relationship between MACC1 and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose 2, 6 bisphosphatase (PFKFB2) expression as well as its clinicopathological features and prognostic significance in hepatocellular carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  By using immunohistochemistry, we investigated the MACC1 and PFKFB2 protein expression in 60 pairs of hepatocellular carcinoma and corresponding non-tumor tissues. Using the Mann-Whitney U test, the Chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, Cox proportional hazard regression analysis and Spearman analysis, we studied the relationship between MACC1 and PFKFB2 protein expression and postoperative overall survival (OS) of the HCC patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MACC1 and PFKFB2 positive staining rates were significantly higher in hepatocellular carcinoma than in the corresponding nontumor tissues (P=0.012 and 0.04, respectively). The clinicopathological features evaluation revealed that positive expression of MACC1 was associated with a high Edmondson classification (P=0.007) and advanced TNM stage (P=0.027). Similar findings were evident for PFKFB2 expression (P=0.002 and P=0.027). MACC1 and PFKFB2 positive expression was associated with a lower OS rate (P=0.004 and 0.03, respectively). Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazard regression analyses revealed MACC1 positive expression to be a prognostic factor for postoperative OS, but PFKFB was not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Highly expressed MACC1 and PFKFB2 protein were associated with TNM stage, Edmondson -Steier classification and overall survival. MACC1 may affect tumor metabolism partly through expression and phophorylation of PFKFB2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of the Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shanxi, China E-mail : jidong8008@163.com.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.forename: Zhong-Tang
authors.initials: ZT
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yao-Qing
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Zhe-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Peng-Fei
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun-Li
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Ying-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D025481:Phosphofructokinase-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C544162:MACC1 protein, human; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; C555744:PFKFB2 protein, human; D025481:Phosphofructokinase-2