Clinical value of LHPP-associated microRNAs combined with protein induced by vitamin K deficiency or antagonist-II in the diagnosis of alpha-fetoprotein-negative hepatocellular carcinoma.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has received extensive attention in the differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially for AFP-negative HCC (AFP-NHCC). The current study aimed to explore the value of targeted regulation of LHPP expression-related microRNAs (miRs) and protein induced by vitamin K deficiency or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) in the differential diagnosis of AFP-NHCC.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted on a testing set-including 214 AFP-NHCC patients, 200 cirrhosis, and 210 controls, and a validation set-including 140 AFP-NHCC patients, 134 cirrhosis, and 128 controls recruited from The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University. Serum miRs were examined using quantitative real-time PCR method. Serum PIVKA-II was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Compared with adjacent tissues, LHPP protein levels in cancer tissues were significantly decreased (P < .05). Predictive software and dual-luciferase reporter assays showed that miR-363-5p and miR-765 can target LHPP expression. Serum miR-363-5p, miR-765, and PIVKA-II levels were significantly higher in AFP-HCC patients than in cirrhosis and controls. A logistic regression model combining miR-363-5p, miR-765, and PIVKA-II was performed. This model presented a high discriminating value (AUC: 0.930, sensitivity/specificity: 79.4%/95.4%) than any single indicator. In the validation set, this model still showed a high discriminating value (AUC: 0.936, sensitivity/specificity: 83.6%/94.7%).

Conclusion

Current model combining serum miR-363-5p, miR-765, and PIVKA-II has potential significance for diagnosis of AFP-NHCC.

SUBMITTER: Tian Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7031545 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature