Objective To investigate the expression of microRNA-152 in hepatocellular carcinoma, and analyze the correlation of miR-152 expression with the clinicopathological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) patients. Methods Real-time PCR was used to detect the expression of miR-152 in tissue specimens from HCC and the adjacent non-cancerous hepatic tissues collected from 56 patients who underwent surgical treatment for primary HCC. The association between the expression of miR-152 and the clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis of HCC patients was analyzed. Results The relative expression of miR-152 in hepatocellular carcinoma and corresponding adjacent non-carcinoma tissues were 0.616±0.041 and 0.768±0.042 (P=0.011). The expression of miR-152 was significantly associated with TNM stages (P=0.042), tumor differentiation (P=0.035), metastasis (P=0.048) and venous invasion (P=0.042). There was no significant association between the miR-152 expression and gender, age, AFP level, tumor number or tumor grade. The OS (P=0.035) and PFS (P=0.012) in the low miR-152 expression group were obviously shorter than those in the high miR-152 expression group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the low expression of miR-152, tumor recurrence and pathological classification were significant independent prognostic factors for the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Conclusion The expression of miR-152 is decreased in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues, and the low expression of miR-152 is significantly associated with TNM stages, tumor differentiation, metastasis, venous invasion and the prognosis of HCC patients.

Objective To establish a reference intervals(RIs)of serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen(SCC-Ag)in healthy population in Nanning region and provide clinical evidence to support diagnosis and prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma.Methods A total of 10 197 reference individuals who joined a routine physical examina-tion in the Health Management Center of Guangxi International Zhuang Medical Hospital from March 2019 to De-cember 2021 were collected.The level of serum SCC-Ag was detected by chemiluminescence microparticle immuno-assay.The Mann-Whitney U test was applied to compare the differences in serum SCC level between genders or ad-jacent age groups.The unilateral 95th percentile determined the upper limit of the RIs by the nonparametric method.Another 1 035 healthy subjects with the same conditions as the reference population were selected for refer-ence validation.Results The serum SCC-Ag level showed a skewed distribution(Z＝0.08,P＜0.05).The ser-um SCC-Ag level of males was considerably higher than that of females.There was significant difference in serum SCC-Ag level between males aged 18－30 and 31－40,51－60 and 61－90(P＜0.05).There was significant difference in serum SCC-Ag level between females aged 18－30 and 31－40,31－40 and 41－50,51－60 and 61－ 90(P＜0.05).The reference intervals of serum SCC-Ag was as follows:0－1.64 ng/mL for males and females aged 18－30 years;0－1.57 ng/mL and 0－1.70 ng/mL for males aged 31－60 years and 61－90 years,respec-tively;0－1.50 ng/mL,0－1.52 ng/mL and 0－1.42 ng/mL for females aged 31－40 years,41－60 years and 61－90 years,respectively.Conclusions The RIs of serum SCC-Ag in healthy population in the Nanning region are successfully established according to different genders and ages.

Objective:To observe the G protein-coupled receptor 48 (GPCR48) expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines with different metastatic potential and its characteristics effect on the invasion and metastasis of Huh7 hepatoma cells via epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).Methods:Western blot was used to detect the protein expression level of GPCR48 in HCC cells with different metastatic potential. The lentivirus vector expressing GPCR48 gene was constructed. GPCR48 was overexpressed in Huh7 hepatoma cells. The GPCR48 overexpression level was detected by real-time PCR and Western blot. Transwell invasion and migration assay was used to detect the Huh7 hepatoma cells invasion and migration ability in the Control, Mock and GPCR48 overexpression group. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect Huh7 hepatoma cells mRNA and protein expression levels of the EMT related markers (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, and γ catenin) in the Control, Mock and GPCR48 overexpression groups, respectively. Analysis of variance was used to compare the differences between data sets.Results:GPCR48 protein expression level in metastatic HCC cell lines was significantly higher than non-metastatic HCC cell lines ( P < 0.05). The lentivirus vector expressing the GPCR48 gene had effectively transfected the Huh7 hepatoma cells and stably expressed the GPCR48mRNA and protein. Compared with the Mock and the Control group, Huh7 hepatoma cells invasion and migration ability in the GPCR48 overexpression group was significantly enhanced ( F≥5.54, P < 0.05), and the mRNA and protein expression levels of epithelial phenotypic markers E-cadherin and γ-catenin were decreased ( P < 0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of the mesenchymal phenotypic markers N-cadherin and Vimentin were increased ( P < 0.05), indicating that EMT changes occurred in Huh7 hepatoma cells had overexpressed GPCR48. Conclusion:GPCR48 expression level is positively correlated with the metastatic potential of HCC cells. GPCR48 overexpression can down-regulate the expression of epithelial phenotypic markers and up-regulate the expression of mesenchymal phenotypic markers, and induce EMT changes in HCC cells, thus promoting HCC cells invasion and migration.