title: Plasma micoRNA-122 as a predictive marker for treatment response following transarterial chemoembolization in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Circulating microRNA (miR)-122 has recently been investigated as a potential biomarker of various hepatic diseases, such as chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We investigated the association between plasma miR-122 levels and the treatment outcomes following transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in HCC patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We included 177 HCC patients treated with TACE in the study; TACE refractoriness and liver transplantation-free survival were evaluated during follow up. Pretreatment plasma miR-122 levels were assessed using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Relative quantification of miR-122 expression (fold change) was determined using the 2(-ΔΔCt)method. MiR-16 was used as an internal control for the normalization of miRNA data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the mean follow up of 22.4 (range, 1-79) months, 112 (69.5%) patients exhibited TACE refractoriness. Multivariate analyses showed that tumor number (hazard ratio [HR], 2.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.43-4.41; P = 0.001) and tumor size (HR, 2.65; 95% CI, 1.62-4.32; P = 0.000) can independently predict overall TACE refractoriness. High miR-122 expression (> 100) was associated with early TACE refractoriness (within 1 year; HR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.12-6.86; P = 0.028), together with tumor number (HR, 22.73; 95% CI, 2.74-188.66; P = 0.004) and tumor size (HR, 4.90; 95% CI, 1.99-12.06; P = 0.001). Univariate analyses showed that high miR-122 expression tends to be associated with poor liver transplantation-free survival (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.95-2.11; P = 0.085). However, it was statistically insignificant in multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High expression levels of plasma miR-122 are associated with early TACE refractoriness in HCC patients treated with TACE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Soon Sun
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Human Genome Research and Bio-Resource Center, Ajou University Medical Center, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hyo Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Je Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Won
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jin Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Genomic Instability Research Center, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Min Jae
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Han
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Choong-Kyun
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Noh
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Jae
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kee Myung
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Youn
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cheong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D016461:Chemoembolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004998:Ethiodized Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005781:Gelatin Sponge, Absorbable / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000097:blood*; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C531907:MIRN122 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs; D004998:Ethiodized Oil; D004317:Doxorubicin
keywords: chemoembolization; hepatocellular carcinoma; microRNA-122; survival; treatment failure