The Expression Pattern Of GATA4 In Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Objective : To explore the expression pattern of transcription factor GATA4 in normal hepatocyte(HL-7702),Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)cell line(HepG2),liver cancer tissues and adjacent tissues,and analyze the relationship between the expression of GATA4 in hepatocarcinoma tissues and the clinicopathological factors of increased malignant potential of hepatocellular carcinoma.Methods:The expression pattern of GATA4 in normal hepatocytes(HL-7702)and HCC cell line(HepG2)was detected by RT-qPCR and Western Blot.Then detected the expression level of GATA4 protein in HCC tissues and paired paracancerous normal tissues by immunohistochemistry.And analyzed its relationship with clinicopathological features and prognosis.Results : GATA4 mRNA and protein are underexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines(HepG2)compared to normal hepatocytes.Compared with paracancerous normal tissues,GATA4 protein was lowly expressed in hepatocarcinoma tissues(P=0.014),low expression of GATA4 protein was significantly associated with preoperative AFPpositive(P=0.007),multiple tumors(P=0.016),postoperative recurrence(P=0.022),and the low degree of pathological differentiation(P=0.028).The expression level of GATA4 protein in paracancerous normal tissues was not correlated with clinicopathological features.Kaplan-Meier Single factor analysis showed that the low expression of GATA4 protein in HCC tissues was significantly correlated with the total survival time(P=0.001)and tumor-free survival time(P=0.002).Univariate and multivariate survival analysis showed: preoperative AFP positive,tumor diameter greater than 5cm,multiple tumors,high TNM stage(II/III),venous tumor thrombus positive,distant metastasis and pathological poor differentiation were Significantly associated with short tumor-free survival time and low overall survival.Multiple tumors(P=0.04),tumor diameter greater than 5 cm(P=0.032),and poor tumor differentiation(P=0.001)are independent risk factors for postoperative mortality,and venous tumor thrombosis positive(P=0.022)is an independent risk factor for postoperative recurrence.Condusion:The transcription factor GATA4 mRNA and protein are underexpressed in HCC cell lines compared to normal hepatocytes.GATA4 protein is also lowly expressed in liver cancer tissues compared to the normal liver tissues.The low expression of GATA4 protein in hepatocarcinoma tissuesis associated with some clinical pathological factors(pathological poor differentiation,postoperative recurrence,tumor diameter increase)which can predict the high degree of malignancy of liver cancer,and prognosis of patients.It may be an independent risk factor for poor prognosis of patients with liver cancer.Multiple tumors,tumor diameter greater than 5 cm,and poor tumor differentiation are independent risk factors for postoperative mortality,and venous tumor thrombosis positive is an independent risk factor for postoperative recurrence.