miR-10b-5p Suppresses the Proliferation and Invasion of Primary Hepatic Carcinoma Cells by Downregulating EphA2

Objective. To analyze the function of miR-10b-5p in suppressing the invasion and proliferation of primary hepatic carcinoma cells by downregulating erythropoietin-producing hepatocellular receptor A2 (EphA2). Material and Methods. Eighty-six hepatic carcinoma (HCC) tissue specimens and 86 corresponding adjacent tissue specimens were collected, and the mRNA expression of miR-10b-5p and Ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2) in the specimens was determined using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. Western blot was employed to quantify EphA2, B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), and Caspase-3 in the cells, and CCK8, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry were applied to evaluate the proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of cells, respectively. Moreover, the dual luciferase reporter assay was utilized for correlation analysis between miR-10b-5p and EphA2. Results. miR-10b-5p was lowly expressed in HCC, while EphA2 was highly expressed. Cell experiments revealed that miR-10b-5p overexpression or EphA2 knockdown could reduce cell proliferation, accelerate apoptosis, strongly upregulate Bax and Caspase-3, and downregulate Bcl-2. In contrast, miR-10b-5p knockdown or EphA2 overexpression gave rise to reverse biological phenotypes. Furthermore, dual luciferase reporter assay verified that miR-10b-5p was a target of EphA2, and the rescue experiment implied that transfection of pCMV-EphA2 or Si-EphA2 could reverse EphA2 expression and cell biological functions caused by miR-10b-5p overexpression or knockdown. Conclusions. miR-10b-5p reduced HCC cell proliferation but accelerate apoptosis by regulating EphA2, suggesting it has the potential to be a clinical target for HCC.

The relationship between serum hepatitis B core-related antigen and hepatitis B virus DNA in treatment-naïve patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis: A cross-sectional study

Aims. The relationship between hepatitis B core-related antigen (HBcrAg) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA has already been adequately researched in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection, but there are only a few researches yet on the correlations between HBcrAg and HBV DNA in treatment-naïve patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis. Here we explore the correlation between HBcrAg and HBV DNA in this population. Methods. Available data and samples of 98 untreated patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis between October 2018 and October 2019 were analysed. Statistical analyses included baseline characteristics, univariate analysis, stratification analysis, three different analytical models, and a generalized additive model. Results. After adjusting for all recorded confounders (sex, age, diagnosis of primary hepatic carcinoma, total bilirubin（TBIL）, hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), hepatitis B e antigen(HBeAg), Child–Pugh class, family history of HBV infection, family history of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), alcohol-related liver disease (ALD), and diabetes mellitus), a linear relationship was detected between HBcrAg and HBV DNA (β=0.59, 95%CI=0.34–0.84, P<0.0001). The variational trend of HBcrAg and HBV DNA in each stratified variable (sex, age, HBeAg, family history of HBV infection, family history of HCC, diabetes mellitus, diagnosis of primary hepatic carcinoma, Child–Pugh class, and ALD) were consistent. Conclusion. There was a linear and positive correlation between HBcrAg and HBV DNA in treatment-naïve patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis.

Efficacy Evaluation on the Color Doppler Ultrasound, Multislice Spiral CT Combined with Serum Markers in Diagnosis of Primary Hepatic Carcinoma

Background: The efficacy of color Doppler ultrasound, multislice spiral CT combined with serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and alpha-fetoprotein heterogeneity (AFP-L3) in the diagnosis of primary hepatic carcinoma was evaluated. Methods: Seventy-nine patients with primary hepatic carcinoma (PHC group) and 50 patients with benign liver lesions (benign control group) admitted in Yantaishan Hospital (Yantai, China) from January 2016 to December 2018 were selected. The liver was scanned by color Doppler ultrasound and multiple multislice spiral CT. The serum AFP and AFP-L3 levels were detected by electrochemiluminescence. The value of color Doppler ultrasound, multislice spiral CT combined with serum AFP and AFP-L3 in diagnosis of primary liver cancer was retrospectively analyzed. Results: The color Doppler flow imaging (CDFI) showed a high-speed and high-resistance spectrum. The serum AFP and AFP-L3 levels of patients with primary hepatic carcinoma were significantly higher than those of the benign control group were (U=138.000 and 155.500, P=0.000 and 0.000), P<0.01. The sensitivity, accuracy and negative predictive value of color Doppler ultrasound, multislice spiral CT combined with serum AFP and AFP-L3 examinations for diagnosis of primary hepatic carcinoma were 96.20, 90.70 and 93.18%, which was significantly improved compared with each single examination (X2=27.888, 17.511 and 16.202, P=0.000, 0.002 and 0.003), P<0.01. Conclusion: Color Doppler ultrasound, multislice spiral CT combined with AFP and AFP-L3 examination could significantly improve the diagnosis efficiency of primary hepatic carcinoma, which was beneficial to early clinical diagnosis and early treatment.