Down-regulation of RASA1 Is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma.
RASA1 (p120RasGAP), encodes Ras GTPase-activating protein 1 and, is a potent tumor suppressor gene that is frequently inactivated in several human cancer types. However, its precise role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been blurred.



We hypothesized that RASA1 plays a crucial role in tumor pathogenesis and progression of HCC. RASA1 expression levels were analyzed in 226 cases of HCC by immunohistochemistry.



It was found that 38.68% (41/106) of the high-grade HCC samples and 54.17% (65/120) of the low-grade HCC samples expressed RASA1 protein. The difference between RASA1 expression in high-grade and low-grade HCC was statistically significant (p=0.02). Additionally, RASA1 high expression was inversely associated with larger tumor size (p<0.001). Although RASA1 is known as a tumor suppressor, its role in overall survival (OS) in HCC is unclear. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that patients with low level of RASA1 expression correlated with a significantly poorer survival compared to those with high level of RASA1 expression.



These data support that RASA1 could serve as an independent prognostic marker for HCC patients.
School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan, R.O.C.|Department of General Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan, R.O.C.|Transplantation Center, Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, P.R. China.
Yao-Li
YL
Chen
Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Wei-Chieh
WC
Huang
Research Consultant, Richmond, VA, U.S.A.
Hsin-Lei
HL
Yao
Institute of Molecular and Genomic Medicine, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan, R.O.C.|Department of Pathology, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Po-Ming
PM
Chen
Department of General Surgery, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Ping-Yi
PY
Lin
Department of Medical Imaging, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan, R.O.C. fieyel@gmail.com chu.peiy@msa.hinet.net.
Fu-Yu
FY
Feng
Department of Pathology, Show Chwan Memorial Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan, R.O.C. fieyel@gmail.com chu.peiy@msa.hinet.net.|School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan, R.O.C.|National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Pei-Yi
PY
Chu
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D018450:Disease Progression; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020729:p120 GTPase Activating Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C557248:RASA1 protein, human; D020729:p120 GTPase Activating Protein
Liver cancer; RAS-GAP; RASA1; overall survival