Original Article
Upregulated GP73 expression and downregulated NLRP3 expression in liver cancer tissues correlate with patient’s survival
Abstract
Background: To investigate the correlation between Golgi protein 73 (GP73) and NLRP3 expression and the clinicopathologic features and prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
Methods: A total of 54 HCC tumor tissues and matched paracarcinomatous liver (PCL) tissues from patients who received liver resection in our hospital were collected. The expression of GP73 and NLRP3 were tested by using Western blotting method. Eleven healthy liver (HL) tissues from patients with hepatic hemangioma were tested at the same time. Correlations between GP73/NLRP3 protein expression levels and clinicopathologic features were evaluated by Chi-square test. Survival analysis was conducted by Kaplan-Meier method, and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated, meanwhile the log-rank test was used to compare the survival differences between different groups.
Results: The median GP73 protein level in HL, PCL and HCC tissues were 1.6 (1.4–1.9) RU, 2.7 (1.6–3.4) RU and 4.5 (2.8–5.5) RU, respectively. The median NLRP3 protein level in HL, PCL and HCC tissues were 1.1 (0.9–1.3) RU, 1.9 (1.4–2.6) RU and 1.2 (0.4–1.3) RU, respectively. They were both with significant difference (P<0.001). GP73 expression had the relationship with tumor multiplicity, differentiation and recurrence. NLRP3 expression was correlated with tumor size. The GP73 level in HCC tissues was associated to DFS and OS (P<0.05, P<0.01) and the NLRP3 level in HCC tissues was related to OS (P<0.05). The OS in GLNH group with low GP73 expression and high NLRP3 expression was longer than that in other three groups (P<0.001).
Conclusions: GP73 and NLRP3 may play the role of different level in tumor development in patients with HCC. NLRP3 could have more effect on DFS.
Methods: A total of 54 HCC tumor tissues and matched paracarcinomatous liver (PCL) tissues from patients who received liver resection in our hospital were collected. The expression of GP73 and NLRP3 were tested by using Western blotting method. Eleven healthy liver (HL) tissues from patients with hepatic hemangioma were tested at the same time. Correlations between GP73/NLRP3 protein expression levels and clinicopathologic features were evaluated by Chi-square test. Survival analysis was conducted by Kaplan-Meier method, and overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated, meanwhile the log-rank test was used to compare the survival differences between different groups.
Results: The median GP73 protein level in HL, PCL and HCC tissues were 1.6 (1.4–1.9) RU, 2.7 (1.6–3.4) RU and 4.5 (2.8–5.5) RU, respectively. The median NLRP3 protein level in HL, PCL and HCC tissues were 1.1 (0.9–1.3) RU, 1.9 (1.4–2.6) RU and 1.2 (0.4–1.3) RU, respectively. They were both with significant difference (P<0.001). GP73 expression had the relationship with tumor multiplicity, differentiation and recurrence. NLRP3 expression was correlated with tumor size. The GP73 level in HCC tissues was associated to DFS and OS (P<0.05, P<0.01) and the NLRP3 level in HCC tissues was related to OS (P<0.05). The OS in GLNH group with low GP73 expression and high NLRP3 expression was longer than that in other three groups (P<0.001).
Conclusions: GP73 and NLRP3 may play the role of different level in tumor development in patients with HCC. NLRP3 could have more effect on DFS.
