Clinical value of LHPP-associated microRNAs combined with protein induced by vitamin K deficiency or antagonist-II in the diagnosis of alpha-fetoprotein-negative hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Background: Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has received extensive attention in the differential diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), especially for AFP-negative HCC (AFP-NHCC). The current study aimed to explore the value of targeted regulation of LHPP expression-related microRNAs (miRs) and protein induced by vitamin K deficiency or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) in the differential diagnosis of AFP-NHCC. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on a testing set—including 214 AFP-NHCC patients, 200 cirrhosis, and 210 controls, and a validation set—including 140 AFP-NHCC patients, 134 cirrhosis, and 128 controls recruited from The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Normal University. Serum miRs were examined using quantitative real-time PCR method. Serum PIVKA-II was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Compared with adjacent tissues, LHPP protein levels in cancer tissues were significantly decreased (P