CD147, MMP-2, MMP-9 and MVD-CD34 are significant predictors of recurrence after liver transplantation in hepatocellular carcinoma patients
Authors: Jun Zhou
Zhinan Chen
Li Zhang
Jing Xu
Feng Qian
Guangsheng Chen
Xinguo Chen
Qing Zhang
Qingchuan Zhao
Journal: Cancer biology & therapy (2006)
Discipline: CLINICAL MEDICINE
Keywords: tumor biomarkers; hepatocellular carcinoma; liver transplantation; CD147; MMP-2
Affiliations: Departerment of Cell Biology & Cell Engineering Research Centre, State Key Laboratory of Cancer Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.

Abstract:  Objective: The prognostic role of tumor biological markers (biomarkers) in predicting recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was investigated in this study, the results of which may help to select appropriate candidates for liver transplantation (LT). Methods: Tissue samples from 82 HCC patients with cirrhosis who had undergone LT were immunohistochemically stained with antibodies of anti-CD147, anti-matrix metalloproteinases-2 (MMP-2), MMP-9 and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Tumor microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated by using CD34. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the relevant prognostic factors. Results: A significant correlation was found between the expression of CD147, VEGF, MMP-2, MMP-9 and MVD-CD34 in HCC. Tumor CD147 expression (P &lt; 0.0001), tumor MVD-CD34 (P &lt; 0.0001), MMP-9 in stromal compartment (P = 0.0257) and tumor VEGF expression (P = 0.0335) were significantly associated with the recurrence in HCC patients after LT. Univariate analysis showed that strong CD147 expression and high MVD-CD34 were significantly associated with poor tumor recurrence-free survival after LT (P &lt; 0.0001). Multivariate analysis indicated that CD147 (P = 0.0001), MVD-CD34 (P = 0.0118), MMP-2 (P = 0.0312) and MMP-9 (P = 0.0280) in stromal compartment were all significant predictors in predicting HCC recurrence, while VEGF, MMP-2 and MMP-9 in tumor compartment were not significantly associated with poor prognosis. Conclusions: The tumor biomarkers CD147 and MVD-CD34 are more feasible markers for rational selection of LT candidates with HCC. MMP-9 and MMP-2 expression in stromal compartment, combined with pTNM tumor grade, may be helpful in predicting poor prognosis in HCC patients after LT. 

Retracted: No

PubPeer comments:
 2020 Expression of Concern. https: www.tandfonline.com doi full 10.1080 15384047.2020.1752966 The Editors and Publisher of Cancer Biology Therapy wish to issue an Expression of Concern for the published article. Qing Zhang, Xinguo Chen, Jun Zhou, Li Zhang, Qingchuan Zhao, Guangsheng Chen, Jing Xu, Qiang Feng Zhinan Chen (2006) CD147, MMP-2, MMP-9 and MVD-CD34 are significant predictors of recurrence after liver transplantation in hepatocellular carcinoma patients, Cancer Biology Therapy, 5:7, 808-814, DOI: 10.4161 cbt.5.7.2754 Concerns have been raised that the study described in the article did not adhere to ethical guidelines as outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and the Declaration of Istanbul and guidance from the World Health Organization and the World Medical Association regarding the source of transplanted human organs. Specifically, the British Medical Journal Open (BMJ Open) published an article highlighting many papers in which there is concern that transplanted organs were harvested from executed prisoners in China. In response to these concerns we contacted the authors to clarify the source of the transplanted organs received by the patients described in their study. However, despite multiple attempts to contact the authors and their institutions, no response was received. The Editors of Cancer Biology Therapy would like to alert readers of this. We will provide an update if we receive any further information. Cancer Biology Therapy publishes research adhering to internationally accepted ethical standards and is committed to upholding the Declaration of Helsinki and Declaration of Istanbul. Taylor Francis endorses the ethics guidelines described by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Medical Association (WMA). ,