Relationship between E2F8 and PKD1 expressions in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and clinicopathological features, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and prognosis

Abstract

Abstract: Objective To investigate the relationship between E2F transcription factor 8 (E2F8) and protein kinase D1 (PKD1) expressions in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and clinicopathological features, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and prognosis. Methods 89 patients with primary liver cancer were admitted to Baoding Second Hospital from October 2018 to October 2021 were selected. The specimens of cancer tissues and adjacent tissues resected during operation were collected. E2F8, PKD1 protein and EMT related indicators [epithelial cadherins (E-cadherin), N cadherin (N-cadherin), vimentin (Vimentin)] were detected by immunohistochemical method. The correlation between E2F8, PKD1 protein expressions and EMT related indicators was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis. Survival curves of hepatocellular carcinoma patients with different E2F8 and PKD1 protein expressions were drawn by Kaplan-Meier method, and the prognostic factors of patients with primary liver cancer were analyzed by Cox proportional risk model. Results Compared with adjacent tissues, the positive expression rates of E2F8 protein (59.55% vs. 33.71%), PKD1 protein (52.81% vs. 25.84%), N-cadherin protein (69.66% vs. 34.83%) and Vimentin protein (65.17% vs. 30.34%) in cancer tissues were increased (P<0.05), and the positive expression rates of E-cadherin protein (25.84% vs. 66.29%) were decreased (P<0.05).The E2F8 and PKD1 protein expressions were related to the degree of differentiation, CNLC stage and vascular invasion (P<0.05). The positive expression rates of E2F8 and PKD1 proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues of CNLC stage Ⅲa, low differentiation and vascular invasion were higher (P<0.05). E2F8 and PKD1 protein expressions in primary liver cancer tissues were negatively correlated with E-cadherin protein,positively correlated with N-cadherin and Vimentin protein (P<0.05). The 3-year overall survival rate of patients with E2F8 and PKD1 protein positive expression was lower than those of patients with E2F8 and PKD1 protein negative expression (45.28% vs. 60.61%, 44.68% vs. 58.97%; P<0.05). CNLC stage Ⅲa, positive E2F8 protein expression and positive PKD1 protein expression were risk factors for poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma patients (P<0.05). Conclusion The increased positive expression rates of E2F8 and PKD1 proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma are closely related to malignant clinicopathological features and EMT, which are risk factors for poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Key words: Hepatocellular carcinoma, E2F transcription factor 8, Protein kinase D1, Clinicopathological features, Epithelial-mesenchymal transition, Prognosis

Wang Peng, Feng Naxin, Liu Zeyang, Pang xin. Relationship between E2F8 and PKD1 expressions in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and clinicopathological features, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and prognosis[J]. Chinese Hepatolgy, 2026, 31(7): 994-999.

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