Studies On The Correlation Between SGTB And Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective To investigate the expression of small glutamine-rich tetratricopeptide repeat-containing protein (SGTB) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), analyze correlation of SGTB abnormal expression and the occurrence and development of HCC. Speculating the probable mechanism of abnormal expression in hepatocellular carcinoma, and discuss its potential clinical significance in diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer.Methods The expression of SGTB in8pairs of fresh frozen specimens from HCC and the adjacent liver tissue were detected by Western blot. Immunohistochemical to detect the expression of SGTB and Ki-67in108samples of HCC patients. Eighty-six patients were men and twenty-two were women; their ages ranged from21to69(mean=54.18years old). Seventy-six patients were positive for HBV surface antigen, thirty-two were negative. Eighty-nine were positive for cirrhosis. The HCC samples characterized in this study included:Histological grade Ⅰ (11), Ⅱ (51),Ⅲ(46). To analyze the connection between SGTB and clinicopathologic parameters of HCC patients, such as gender, age, histological grade, metastasis, the serum of AFP and so on.108cases of HCC patients were followed up,90were available. Seventy-four patients were men and sixteen were women. Seventy-six patients were positive for HBV surface antigen. Seventy-four were positive for cirrhosis. The90HCC samples included:Histological grade Ⅰ (10), Ⅱ(37), Ⅲ (43). Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS17.0software in90overall and74male patients separately. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and the prognosis was analyzed with the univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis.Results Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis showed that absent or low expression of SGTB was detected in HCCs while its expression was notably detected in non-tumor liver tissue (P<0.05). According to the statistical analysis of the108patients, SGTB expression was correlated with gender, histological grade (P<0.001) and HBsAg expression (P=0.002) whereas uncorrelate with age, metastasis, tumor size, cirrhosis, the level of AFP. Correlation analysis showed SGTB expression was positively associated with Ki-67(r=-0.209; P<0.05). In90cases, the Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that low SGTB expression (P<0.001) related to a poor survival with statistical significance. Unvaried analysis showed that SGTB (P<0.001) expression and histological grade (P<0.001) were associated with poor prognosis of HCC. Statistical analysis of Kaplan-Meier and Unvaried analysis in74cases of male patients also showed that low SGTB expression (P<0.001) was related to a poor survival with statistical significance, and SGTB (P=0.001) expression and histological grade (P=0.001) were associated with poor prognosis of HCC. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis indicated that SGTB expression (P=0.021) and histological grade (P=0.042) were independent prognostic factors for HCC.Conclusions The expression of SGTB was down regulated significantly in HCC. SGTB serve as an independent prognostic factor for HCC. SGTB may play a role in the oncogenesis and development of HCC.