摘要
背景和目的:大量研究表明,长链非编码RNA(lncRNA)与微小RNA(miRNA)及其靶基因之间内源性竞争的调控模式与恶性肿瘤的发生发展密切相关。笔者团队前期通过软件预测发现,lncRNA GAS8-AS1和miR-135b之间存在结合位点,但两者在肝细胞癌(HCC)中是否存在竞争关系及其作用尚不清楚。因此,本研究探讨lncRNA GAS8-AS1和miR-135b在HCC组织中的表达及其临床意义。
收集2017年2月—2019年2月在青海大学附属医院行手术切除的110例HCC患者的癌组织及癌旁组织标本,通过qRT-PCR检测lncRNA GAS8-AS1和miR-135b的表达,分析两者与患者临床病理特征及预后的关系。
lncRNA GAS8-AS1在HCC组织中的表达明显低于癌旁组织,而miR-135b在HCC组织中的表达明显高于癌旁组织(均P<0.05)。两者的表达水平均与HCC患者的Edmondson分期、TNM分期、分化程度及淋巴结转移情况有关(均P<0.05)。lncRNA GAS8-AS1低表达患者与miR-135b高表达患者的3年总生存率分别明显低于lncRNA GAS8-AS1高表达患者与miR-135b低表达患者(均P<0.05)。lncRNA GAS8-AS1低表达、miR-135b高表达以及高Edmondson分级、高TNM分期、有乙肝病史是影响HCC患者预后的独立危险因素(均P<0.05)。
关键词
China Journal of General Surgery, 2023, 32(1):87-93.
肝细胞癌(hepatocellular carcinoma,HCC)是恶性程度较高,预后较差的恶性肿瘤之一,目前肝切除术仍是患者的主要根治方法之
长链非编码RNA(long non-coding RNA,lncRNA)已被证明在基因表达中起着关键的调节作
微小RNA(microRNA,miRNA)是小分子非编码RNA,参与靶基因的转录后调
收集2017年2月—2019年2月在青海大学附属医院进行手术切除的110例HCC患者的癌组织及癌旁组织样本(>3 cm处)。根据Edmondson病理分级:Ⅰ~Ⅱ级52例,Ⅲ~Ⅳ级58例;根据TNM分期:Ⅰ~Ⅱ期48例,Ⅲ~Ⅳ期62例。所有组织在采集后立刻进行速冻,之后置于-80 ℃的冰箱中保存。
纳入标准:⑴ 患者术前均未进行放化疗、介入、射频消融术及免疫治疗;⑵ HE染色常规病理检查均为原发性HCC,且未合并其他恶性肿瘤;⑶ 经2名病理医师确认为HCC;⑷ 有完整的临床资料,术后有随访数据。排除标准:⑴ 肝转移癌;⑵ 合并心、肾等其他重要器官功能不全;⑶ 合并有自身免疫性疾病;⑷ 临床资料及术后随访数据缺失。
RNA提取和分离试剂盒(Ambion,美国);反转录试剂盒(Takara,中国);NanoDrop 2000超微量分光光度计(Thermo,美国);荧光定量PCR检测系统(BioRad,美国)。
严格按操作说明书,用Trizo
引物 | 序列(5'-3') |
---|---|
lncRNA GAS8-AS1 | 正向:CAA CGA GCA AAC AAG AAG GA |
反向:TGA GCC AAA CAG ACC AGT CA | |
miR-135b | 正向:GGT ATG GCT TTT CAT TCC T |
反向:CAG TGC GTG TCG TGG AGT | |
U6 | 正向:CTT CAG CCG GCA CAG CT |
反向:CGC TAA TTT GCG TTC AAA CG |
本研究中年龄>55岁的患者有61例(55.45%),≤55岁的患者有49例(44.55%);男性患者63例(57.27%),女性患者47例(42.73%);肿瘤直径>5 cm的患者60例(54.56%),≤5 cm的患者50例(45.44%);有乙肝病史的患者65例(59.09%),无乙肝病史的患者45例(40.91%);术前甲胎蛋白>20 ng/mL的患者57例(51.82%),≤20 ng/mL的患者53例(48.18%)(
参数 | 数值 |
---|---|
年龄(岁) | |
>55 | 61(55.45) |
≤55 | 49(44.55) |
性别 | |
男 | 63(57.27) |
女 | 47(42.73) |
肿瘤直径(cm) | |
>5 | 60(54.56) |
≤5 | 50(45.44) |
乙肝病史 | |
是 | 65(59.09) |
否 | 45(40.91) |
术前甲胎蛋白(ng/mL) | |
>20 | 57(51.82) |
≤20 | 53(48.18) |
与癌旁组织比较,HCC组织中lncRNA GAS8-AS1的表达水平明显降低(0.47±0.03 vs. 1.03±0.8,P<0.05);而miR-135b在HCC组织中的表达水平明显高于癌旁组织(3.17±0.29 vs. 1.12±0.16,P<0.05)(

图1 HCC组织及癌旁组织中lncRNA GAS8-AS1和miR-135b的相对表达量比较
Figure 1 Comparison of the relative expression levels of lncRNA GAS8-AS1 and miR-135b in HCC and adjacent tissues
本研究根据lncRNA GAS8-AS1、miR-135b表达水平的均值,将患者分为高表达组和低表达组。结果发现,lncRNA GAS8-AS1高表达组中高Edmondson分期、高TNM分期、高分化的患者比例明显低于lncRNA GAS8-AS1低表达组(均P<0.05);而miR-135b高表达组中高Edmondson分期、高TNM分期、高分化的患者比例明显高于miR-135b低表达组(均P<0.05)(
临床病理参数 | n | lncRNA GAS8-AS1 | miR-135b | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
高表达(n=50) | 低表达(n=60) | P | 高表达(n=62) | 低表达(n=48) | P | ||
Edmondson分期 | |||||||
Ⅰ~Ⅱ期 | 52 | 35(70.00) | 17(28.33) | 0.000 | 21(33.87) | 31(64.58) | 0.002 |
Ⅲ~Ⅳ期 | 58 | 15(30.00) | 43(71.67) | 41(66.13) | 17(35.42) | ||
TNM分期 | |||||||
Ⅰ~Ⅱ期 | 48 | 29(58.00) | 19(31.67) | 0.009 | 15(24.19) | 33(68.75) | 0.000 |
Ⅲ~Ⅳ期 | 62 | 21(42.00) | 41(68.33) | 47(75.81) | 15(31.25) | ||
分化程度 | |||||||
高分化 | 62 | 36(72.00) | 26(43.33) | 0.006 | 28(45.16) | 34(70.83) | 0.003 |
低分化 | 48 | 14(28.00) | 34(56.67) | 34(54.84) | 14(29.17) |
lncRNA GAS8-AS1高表达组3年总生存率为70.00%(35例);lncRNA GAS8-AS1低表达组3年总生存率为30.00%(15例);miR-135b高表达组3年总生存率为32.26%(20例);miR-135b高表达组3年总生存率为67.74%(42例)(

图2 lncRNA GAS8-AS1和miR-135b表达水平与HCC患者的生存的关系
Figure 2 Relations of the expression levels of lncRNA GAS8-AS1 and miR-135b with the survival of HCC patients
多因素Cox回归分析结果发现,高Edmondson分级、高TNM分期、有乙肝病史、lncRNA GAS8-AS1低表达及miR-135b高表达均为影响患者预后的独立危险因素(均P<0.05)(
变量 | HR | 95% CI | P |
---|---|---|---|
Edmondson分期(Ⅲ~Ⅳ vs. Ⅰ~Ⅱ) | 2.453 | 1.733~3.715 | 0.016 |
TNM分期(Ⅲ~Ⅳ vs. Ⅰ~Ⅱ) | 2.3627 | 1.376~3.447 | 0.009 |
分化程度(低vs.高) | 1.633 | 1.253~2.541 | 0.006 |
lncRNA GAS8-AS1表达(低vs.高) | 3.411 | 2.247~4.124 | 0.001 |
miR-135b表达(高vs.低) | 2.618 | 1.844~3.431 | 0.004 |
肝癌是世界上第六大常见的恶性肿瘤,也是男性癌症患者死亡的第二大常见原因。HCC是其最主要的组织学亚型,占原发性肝癌的70%~85%。但目前为止,HCC患者的5年生存率很低,每年仍有超过75万例患者死
多项研
GAS8-AS1是一种新鉴定的lncRNA,对于甲状腺乳头状癌和HCC的发生可能起关键作用。在甲状腺乳头状癌中,lncRNA GAS8-AS1发生的突变被证明与肿瘤发生密切相
lncRNA已被证明可通过竞争性结合miRNA来调节肿瘤的发生发
综上,lncRNA GAS8-AS1在HCC组织中表达下调,而miR-135b在HCC组织中表达上调,两者间存在调控位点且均可作为HCC患者潜在的预后生物标志物。但目前为止,lncRNA GAS8-AS1和miR-135b在HCC中的作用机制尚不十分明确,今后需通过实验进一步证实。
利益冲突
所有作者均声明不存在利益冲突。
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