title: Decreased levels of miR-34a and miR-217 act as predictor biomarkers of aggressive progression and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in tumor development and progression. The aim of this study was to explore the expression levels of miR-34a and miR-217 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to further investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic value of miR-34a and miR-217.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression levels of miR-34a and miR-217 were evaluated using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Associations between these miRNAs expression and clinicopathological features were analyzed. Survival rate was determined with Kaplan-Meier and statistically analyzed with the log-rank method between groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that miR-34a expression was significantly downregulated in HCC tissues (P<0.05). Reduced expression of miR-34a was associated with vascular invasion, and advanced TNM stage (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier revealed that reduced expression of miR-34a was associated with poor overall survival (log-rank test, P<0.05). We found that miR-217 was downregulated in HCC tissues. Decreased expression of miR-217 was remarkably correlated vascular invasion, and advanced TNM stage (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test showed that HCC patients with low expression of miR-217 was associated with shorter overall survival than patients with high expression (log-rank test, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data showed that downregulation of miR-34a and miR-217 was associated with HCC progression and both of them may act as tumor suppressor in HCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Quan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Feng
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yao-Xuan
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China.
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Zhengzhou University People's Hospital, Zhengzhou, China - hzxuedoctor07@163.com.
authors.forename: Huan-Zhou
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Xue
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D018450:Disease Progression; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D016153:Genes, Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C553315:MIRN217 microRNA, human; C522425:MIRN34 microRNA, human; D035683:MicroRNAs