title: [Associations between interleukin-17A expression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To detect the expression of interleukin-17A(IL-17A) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCCs) tissues, and to analyze its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of IL-17A, E-cadherin, vimentin proteins and Snail mRNA were detected by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization histochemistry in the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues of 74 patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  IL-17A staining was detected in 54.1% (40/74) specimens of human HCCs, but only 25.0% (5/20) in corresponding peritumoral tissues (P<0.05). The positive rate of IL-17A expression in HCC patients with grade III+IV and UICC stage III+IV tumors was significantly higher than those with grade I+II and UICC stage I+II tumors. The expression of IL-17A was positively correlated with portal vein tumor thrombus and microvascular invasion (all P<0.05). The 1- and 2-year recurrence-free survival rates were 27.6% and 17.2% in the patients with positive IL-17A expression, but 79.3% and 58.5% in IL-17A-negative HCCs. The 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 69.0% and 27.8% in the cases with positive IL-17A expression, while 91.3% and 87.0% in IL-17A-negative cases. Patients with IL-17A-positive HCCs showed significantly shorter recurrence-free and overall survival compared with the patients with IL-17A-negative HCCs (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis indicated that IL-17A expression was an independent factor for recurrence-free and overall survival of HCCs. IL-17A-positive HCCs were characterized by increased expression of vimentin (r=0.492, P<0.01) or Snail (r=0.410, P<0.05) and loss of E-cadherin expression (r=-0.404, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that IL-17A is closely related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma. IL-17A-positive hepatocellular carcinoma demonstrates more aggressive biological behavior, and IL-17A may serve as a potential prognostic marker for this cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, the 105th Hospital of PLA, Hefei 230031, China; Email: doctorxujun@163.com.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Lanlan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Hongyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yu
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; C508717:IL17A protein, human; D020381:Interleukin-17; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014746:Vimentin