HOXB7 Expression is a Novel Biomarker for Long-term Prognosis After Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Homeobox B7 (HOXB7) gene is involved in various cellular functions. We investigated the clinical significance of HOXB7 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
HOXB7 mRNA expression in 103 HCC samples and 58 matched non-cancerous liver tissues were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). HOXB7 protein expression was also examined by immunohistochemistry. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was performed using a public dataset.


RESULTS
HOXB7 expression was significantly higher in HCC tissues than in liver parenchyma. Ten-year overall survival (OS) and 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) of cases with higher HOXB7 expression were significantly poorer than those with lower HOXB7 expression. HOXB7 expression was significantly associated with larger tumor size and higher rate of biliary invasion and constituted an independent prognostic factor for OS by multivariate analysis. These results were supported by GSEA.


CONCLUSIONS
HOXB7 expression in HCC could be a novel biomarker for long-term prognosis after tumor resection.
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
Hisateru
H
Komatsu
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Tomohiro
T
Iguchi
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Takaaki
T
Masuda
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
Masami
M
Ueda
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
Shinya
S
Kidogami
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Yushi
Y
Ogawa
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Sho
S
Nambara
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Kuniaki
K
Sato
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Quingjang
Q
Hu
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Tomoko
T
Saito
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Hidenari
H
Hirata
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Shotaro
S
Sakimura
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Ryutaro
R
Uchi
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Naoki
N
Hayashi
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Shuhei
S
Ito
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Hidetoshi
H
Eguchi
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan.
Keishi
K
Sugimachi
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
Hidetoshi
H
Eguchi
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
Yuichiro
Y
Doki
Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Japan.
Masaki
M
Mori
Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, Beppu, Japan kmimori@beppu.kyushu-u.ac.jp.
Koshi
K
Mimori
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C490538:HOXB7 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger
HOXB7; hepatocellular carcinoma; prognostic biomarker