title: High expression of thymosin beta 10 predicts poor prognosis for hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatectomy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thymosin beta 10 (Tbeta10) overexpression has been reported in a variety of human cancers. However, the role of Tbeta10 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to analyze Tbeta10 expression in tumor and matched non-tumorous tissues, and to assess its prognostic significance for HCC after hepatectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The level of Tbeta10 mRNA and protein in tumor and matched non-tumorous tissues was evaluated in 26 fresh HCC cases by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot. Additionally, Tbeta10 protein expression in 196 HCC was analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and correlated with clinicopathological characteristics and survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results from RT-PCR and western blot analysis show that the levels of Tbeta10 mRNA and protein were significantly higher in tumor tissues of HCC, compared to that in matched non-tumorous tissues (P = 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively). IHC staining showed that high expression of Tbeta10 was detected in 58.2% (114/196) of HCC cases. High expression of Tbeta10 was significantly associated with advanced TNM stage (P < 0.001). Survival analysis demonstrated that high Tbeta10 was related to shorter overall survival (OS) (P = 0.000) and disease-free survival (DFS) (P = 0.000). Multivariate analysis showed that high expression of Tbeta10 was an independent prognostic factor for both OS (P = 0.001, HR = 4.135, 95% CI: 2.603 to 6.569) and DFS (P = 0.001, HR = 2.021, 95% CI: 1.442 to 2.832). Subgroup analysis revealed that high expression of Tbeta10 predicts poorer survival for early and advanced stage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tbeta10 protein abnormal expression might contribute to the malignant progression of HCC. High expression of Tbeta10 predicts poor prognosis in patients with HCC after hepatectomy.
authors.forename: Haoyuan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shanshan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Yaojun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Cancer Center of Sun Yat-Sen University, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou 510060, China. xiajch@sysucc.org.cn.
authors.forename: Jianchuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.forename: Minshan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006498:Hepatectomy / Q000401:mortality*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate; D013947:Thymosin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D013947:Thymosin; C039302:thymosin beta(10)