Objective To explore the application of plasma 7 microRNA (miR7) testing in the differential diagnosis of very early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods This study is a multicenter real-world study. Patients with single hepatic lesion (maximum diameter≤2 cm) who underwent plasma miR7 testing at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Anhui Provincial Hospital, and Peking University People’s Hospital between January 2019 and December 2024 were retrospectively enrolled. Patients were divided into very early-stage HCC group and non-HCC group, and the clinical pathological characteristics of the two groups were compared. The value of plasma miR7 levels, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and des-gamma-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) in the differential diagnosis of very early-stage HCC was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and area under the curve (AUC). In patients with both negative AFP and DCP (AFP＜20 ng/mL, DCP＜40 mAU/mL), the diagnostic value of plasma miR7 for very early-stage HCC was analyzed. Results A total of 64 528 patients from 4 hospitals underwent miR7 testing, and 1 682 were finally included, of which 1 073 were diagnosed with very early-stage HCC and 609 were diagnosed with non-HCC. The positive rate of miR7 in HCC patients was significantly higher than that in non-HCC patients (67.9% vs 24.3%, P＜0.001). ROC curves showed that the AUCs for miR7, AFP, and DCP in distinguishing HCC patients from the non-HCC individuals were 0.718, 0.682, and 0.642, respectively. The sensitivities were 67.85%, 43.71%, and 44.45%, and the specificities were 75.70%, 92.78%, and 83.91%, respectively. The pairwise comparison of AUCs showed that the diagnostic efficacy of plasma miR7 detection was significantly better than that of AFP or DCP (P＜0.05). Although its specificity was slightly lower than AFP and DCP, the sensitivity was significantly higher. Among patients negative for both AFP and DCP, miR7 maintained an AUC of 0.728 for diagnosing very early-stage HCC, with 67.82% sensitivity and 77.73% specificity. Conclusions Plasma miR7 testing is a potential molecular marker with high sensitivity and specificity for the differential diagnosis of small hepatic nodules. In patients with very early-stage HCC lacking effective molecular markers (negative for both AFP and DCP), miR7 can serve as a novel and effective molecular marker to assist diagnosis.

[摘 要] 目的：探究包被蛋白复合体β1亚基（COPB1）在食管鳞状细胞癌（ESCC）中的表达，及其对ESCC细胞恶性生物学行为的影响、作用机制及临床意义。方法：采用2014～2018年间在河北医科大学第四医院生物样本库中82例ESCC组织及癌旁组织，常规培养正常食管鳞状上皮细胞HEEC和食管癌细胞KYSE-150、KYSE-170、Eca109、TE1、KYSE-30、KYSE-450，用转染试剂将pcDNA3.1-vector（空载体）、pcDNA3.1-COPB1载体，si-NC和si-COPB1转染至KYSE-150、TE1细胞中，记为NC、COPB1-OE、si-NC和si-COPB1组。用数据库数据分析COPB1 mRNA在泛癌组织中的表达及其表达与免疫细胞浸润的关系，qPCR法检测ESCC组织和细胞中COPB1、PIK3CB、CD68、CD163、CD206、ARG1、IL-10 mRNA水平表达情况，WB法检测ESCC组织和各组细胞中的COPB1、PI3K、CD68、CD163、CD206、p-AKT蛋白表达，克隆形成实验和MTS实验检测各组细胞的增殖能力，划痕愈合实验和Transwell实验检测各组细胞的迁移和侵袭能力，免疫组织化学染色（IHC）法检测ESCC组织中COPB1和CD206蛋白表达。以人单核细胞白血病细胞（THP-1）构建巨噬细胞模型，用佛波酯（PMA）和IL-3和IL-4和ESCC细胞上清液诱导巨噬细胞转型，用qPCR和WB法检测CD68和CD206m RNA和蛋白的表达。结果：COPB1在泛癌组织和ESCC组织中均呈高表达且与淋巴结转移和TNM分期有关联（均P < 0.01），COPB1高表达的ESCC患者总生存期短（P < 0.05），COPB1是潜在的ESCC的诊断标志物。COPB1在KYSE-150和TE1细胞中也呈高表达（均P < 0.05），过表达或敲减COPB1可明显抑制或促进KYSE-150和TE1细胞的增殖能力、迁移和侵袭能力（均P < 0.05）。COPB1表达变化诱导的差异表达基因主要富集于PI3K/AKT通路（均P < 0.001）, COPB1可促进PI3K/AKT通路的活化（P < 0.05），COPB1高表达可导致M2型巨噬细胞浸润增加（P < 0.05），COPB1高表达促进TAM/M2极化（P < 0.05）。结论：COPB1在ESCC组织中呈高表达，其可激活PI3K/AKT通路及调控肿瘤免疫微环境促进 ESCC发生发展，COPB1有望成为ESCC诊断和预后的生物标志物及治疗靶点。

Objective:To establish an improved model of mouse partial hepatectomy for study on liver regeneration .Methods :Healthy 8~10 week old male C57BL/6 mice were anesthetized by intraperitoneal injection .Then ,common hepatic pedicle of left lateral lobe of liver and middle lobe of liver was wrapped around with 6-0 proline suture .6-0 proline was fixed on the sur-face of right middle lobe of liver ,which was 0 .2 cm away from the hepatic pedicle .Hepatic pedicle was ligated and left lateral lobe and middle lobe of liver were resected 0 .2 cm away from ligature .The postoperative survival rate and the situation of liver weight vecovery at 3rd day ,7th day ,and 14th day after the operation were observed .Results:An improved mouse model of partial hepatectomy ,of which left lateral lobe of liver and middle lobe of liver were resected ,was established .The weight of removed liver accounted for 66 .7% of total liver and the survival rate of mice was 100% .After liver resection ,the compensa-tory regeneration of remaining liver achieved 58 .2% of the total liver weight at the 3rd day ,78 .0% at the 7th day ,and 93 .2%at the 14th day after the operation .Conclusions :An improved mouse model of partial hepatectomy was successfully established for study on liver regeneration ,which has advantages such as simplicity ,operability and high success rate .

Objective:To study the expression of UHRF1 and its relationships with the clinicopathological characteristics in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) .Methods :The expression of UHRF1 was analyzed in 556 cases of tumor tissues and peritumor tissues of HCC by immunohistochemistry .The relationships of UHRF1 with the clinicopathological characteristics of HCC were assayed .Results:Immunohistochemistry showed that positive staining of UHRF1 located in the nucleus of HCC cells .The ex-pression levels of UHRF1 protein were higher in tumor tissues than in peritumor tissues .HCC patients with positive expression of UHRF1 protein accounted for 59% of the whole cohort .The expression of UHRF1 protein was significantly correlated with the size of tumor ( P<0 .01) ,differentiation (P<0 .05) and microvessel invasion(P<0 .01) .Conclusions :The overexpression of UHRF1 is correlated with the malignant phenotypes of HCC and probably implicated in the invasion and metastasis of HCC .

Objective To study the risk factors of post-hepatectomy hepatic decompensation (PHD) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.MethodWe reviewed 562 patients with Child-Pugh A classification,who underwent partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma at Zhongshan Hospital,Fudan University between July 1st 2007 to December 31st 2007,to study the risk factors of hepatic decompensation.ResultsPreoperative high total bilirubin (TB) and low prealbumin (PA) were independent risk factors of PHD by logistic multivariate analysis ROC analysis revealed the cut-offs of preoperative PA predicting PHD were 0.14 g/L (sensitivity 41.4％; specificity 83.1％).The incidence of PHD was 16.0％ when TB≥20.4 μmol/L and PA＜0.14 g/L(OR=7.276,P=0.002).ConclusionThe Child-Pugh A patients recovered well when the preoperative liver function was as follows:TB＜20.4 μmol/L and PA≥0.14 g/L.

Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of TMPRSS4 in radiation induced metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods Metastatic model of human HCC was established by orthotopic implantation of histologically intact human HCC tissue into the liver of nude mice.Mice bearing xenografts in liver were killed after radiation and the residual tumors were resected and reimplanted into the liver of normal nude mice.At the end of sixth week,the mice were killed and the histopathological features,tumor volume,intrahepatic and lung metastasis were evaluated.Expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related genes including N-cadherin,Vimentin,SIP1 and TMPRSS4 were measured by Western blotting and RT-PCR.Results The tumor volume and frequency of lung metastasis of control group was 2.25±0.52 cm3 and 66.7％,respectively.Compared to control group,tumor diameter (1.61±0.51 cm3,P＜0.05) and lung metastasis (12.5％,P＜0.05) were significantly inhibited 2 days after radiation.Whereas,30 days after radiation,tumor growth recovered (2.60±0.61 cm3,P＞0.05) and lung metastasis was enhanced (100％,P＜0.05).There were no intrahepatic metastasis in the control group and in the group of reimplantation of HCC 2 days after radiation,while the tumors from those 30 days after radiation showed enhanced intrahepatic metastasis (18 ± 8.05,P＜ 0.01 ),with overexpression of SIP1,N-cadherin,Vimentin and TMPRSS4,and reduced expression of E-cadherin.Conclusion The metastasis potential of residual HCC after radiation was first inhibited and then promoted.Overexpression of TMPRSS4 plays a critical role in radiation induced long-term metastasis of HCC by facilitating EMT.

Objective To investigate the effects of preventive chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exceeding Milan criteria after liver transplantation. Methods The clinical data of 243 patients who had undergone orthotopic liver transplantation for HCC exceeding Milan criteria from April 2001 to July 2007 were retrospectively analyzed. Of all patients, 162 received preventive chemotherapy after transplantation. Results The 1- and 3-year survival rates and disease-free survival rates were not statistically different between patients who had received chemotherapy (78.5%, 63.7% ; 76.8%, 52.5% ) and those without chemotherapy (56.6%, 39.1%; 69.3%, 64.7% ) (X2 = 3.084, 0.444, P > 0.05). Cox regression analysis demonstrated that postoperative chemotherapy was not an independent factor affecting the survival rates of HCC patients without vascular invasion, but an independent factor affecting the survival rates of HCC patients with vascular invasion. Conclusions Early preventive chemotherapy could obviously increase the survival rate and delay the tumor recurrence of patients with HCC exceeding Milan criteria, especially for HCC patients with vascular invasion.

Objective To investigate the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic metastasis from gastrointestinal stromal turnor(GIST).Methods The clinical data of 16 patients with GIST who had been admitted to our hospitalfrom December 1993 to May 2007 were retrospectively analyzed.Results Of all patients,14 underwent radical resection and 2 underwent palliative operation.Two patients with palliative operation and 3 with radical resection were administered with imatinib postoperatively. All patients were followed up for 3-161 months,and GIST metastasis and invasion was observed in 8 of the 14 patients who received radical resection.Of the 7 patients with hepatic metastasis.3 were treated with hepatic artery chemoembolization,1 was administered with imatinib,2 received reoperation and 1 did not receive any treatment. Reoperation was carried out on 1 patient who had abdominal wall metastasis.The 1-and 3-year survival rates of the 16 patients were 92%and 74%,respectively.Conclusions The recurrence rate of GIST after hepatectomy is high.Complete surgical resection is the best curative treatment for hepatic metastasis from GIST and GIST recurrence.The combination of surgical resection and imatinib administration may help to improve the prognosis of patients with hepatic metastasis from GIST.