title: Prognostic significance of Nemo-like kinase expression in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Nemo-like kinase (NLK) is an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine protein kinase and belongs to the extracellular signal-regulated kinases/microtubule-associated protein kinase families (Erks/MAPKs). Previous studies have indicated that abnormal expressions of NLK played critical roles in various types of human cancers. Recent studies suggested that NLK expression was significantly upregulated in the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) specimens. However, the clinical significance of NLK expression in HCC remains largely unknown. In this study, we focused on the clinical significance of NLK in HCC and found that high expression of NLK was significantly associated with Edmondson-Steiner grade (P = 0.002), tumor size (P = 0.022), and no. of tumor nodules (P < 0.001), and NLK was positively correlated with proliferation marker Ki-67 (P < 0.01). Univariate analysis suggested that NLK expression was associated with poor prognosis (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that NLK expression was an independent prognostic indicator for HCC (P = 0.0370). In conclusion, NLK overexpression is associated with poor overall survival in patients with HCC, it might be an independent poor prognostic marker for HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, No. 258 Wenhua Road, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China. hongweichen0306@outlook.com.
authors.forename: Hong-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Allergy, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, Qinhuangdao, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Ying
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, No. 258 Wenhua Road, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, No. 258 Wenhua Road, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China.
authors.forename: Zong-Feng
authors.initials: ZF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, No. 258 Wenhua Road, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Juan
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, No. 258 Wenhua Road, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China.
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, No. 258 Wenhua Road, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Wei
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, No. 258 Wenhua Road, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, No. 258 Wenhua Road, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Qinhuangdao, No. 258 Wenhua Road, Qinhuangdao, 066000, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Liang
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C470551:NLK protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Immunohistochemistry; Nemo-like kinase; Prognostic significance