title: Overexpression of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha promotes tumor progression and indicates poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Dysregulation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) has been documented in various cancers. However, its role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unknown. We and others have examined that upregulation of PDGFRα might be involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. Here, we report that PDGFRα plays a critical role in HCC progression and prognosis. The expression of PDGFRα was markedly higher in human HCC compared to adjacent liver tissues. Although PDGFRA mRNA was decreased in HCC, PDGF-A mRNA was dramatically increased in HCC. Overexpression of PDGFRα was strongly correlated with microvessel density (MVD) of HCC (p<0.05), as well as macroscopic vascular invasion of the tumors (p<0.05). HCC patients with high PDGFRα expression displayed a shorter overall survival and a higher recurrence rate than those with low PDGFRα expression (p<0.05, respectively). Additionally, stable overexpression of PDGFRα in hepatoma cells promoted cell proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in vitro. Similarly, an in vivo assay showed that PDGFRα overexpression in hepatoma cells exhibited remarkably tumorigenic potential in tumor size and weight in vivo, which displayed markedly elevated MVD than controls. Thus, our study provided the evidence that PDGFRα may serve as a candidate prognostic marker and a novel therapeutic target for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Institute of Advanced Surgical Technology and Engineering, the 1st Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, China. Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310009, China.
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Institute of Advanced Surgical Technology and Engineering, the 1st Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, the 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710004, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ya
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, General Hospital of Ningxia Medical College, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, 750004, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Institute of Advanced Surgical Technology and Engineering, the 1st Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, China.
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Institute of Advanced Surgical Technology and Engineering, the 1st Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Institute of Advanced Surgical Technology and Engineering, the 1st Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi Province, 710061, China.
authors.forename: Xu-Feng
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D063646:Carcinogenesis / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000235:genetics; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019076:Transgenes / Q000235:genetics; D023041:Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; C075278:platelet-derived growth factor A; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha