title: Expression of Kindlin-1 in human hepatocellular carcinoma and its prognostic significance.
abstract: Kindlin-1 is a member of the Kindlin family of focal adhesion proteins and is implicated in cell adhesion, proliferation, polarity, and motility. Although expression of Kindlin-1 has recently been reported in a variety of human cancers, studies on its expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are currently lacking. This study aimed to determine the clinicopathological parameters and prognostic value of Kindlin-1 in HCC patients after surgical resection. The messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein levels of Kindlin-1 in 22 matched HCC specimens were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting assays. The clinical and prognostic significance of Kindlin-1 in 68 cases of HCC was determined by immunohistochemistry. Kindlin-1 expression was higher in HCC tumor tissues relative to that in adjacent normal tissue at the both mRNA and protein levels (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical results revealed that overexpression of Kindlin-1 was detected in 37 of 68 (54.4 %) tumor tissues and in seven of 68 (10.3 %) adjacent non-tumor tissues (p < 0.05). Positive Kindlin-1 expression was significantly correlated with tumor size, tumor capsula, status of metastasis, and tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that positive Kindlin-1 expression was associated with unfavorable overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Multivariate analysis identified Kindlin-1 as an independent prognostic predictor for OS and DFS in HCC patients (p = 0.041 and 0.027, respectively). Taken together, our data suggest that Kindlin-1 could play an important role in HCC and might serve as a promising prognostic marker and potential target for HCC therapy.
authors.affiliation: Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery and Department of Hepatic Surgery, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Anhui Medical University, No. 17 Lujiang Road, Hefei, 230001, China.
authors.forename: Hua-Xing
authors.initials: HX
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Qing-Hua
authors.initials: QH
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Jing-Jing
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ge-Liang
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jian-Sheng
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jin-Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Wei-Dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Ji-Hai
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yv
authors.forename: Yong-Sheng
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Ge
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006498:Hepatectomy; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C475301:FERMT1 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins