Relationship between growth hormone receptor and proliferation, migration and clinical prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

doi:10.3877/cma.j.issn.2095-3232.2021.02.019

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective

To investigate the expression level of growth hormone receptor (GHR) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its effect on the proliferation, migration of HCC cells and the clinical prognosis of HCC patients.

Methods

The RNA expression profile and clinical data of HCC were downloaded from the public database the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and the expression levels of GHR mRNA were compared between HCC and adjacent tissues. The survival curve was delineated by Kaplan-Meier method according to GHR expression level. The survival analysis was conducted by Log-rank test. The expression of GHR mRNA in 30 paired HCC and adjacent tissues were detected by qRT-PCR. The GHR gene in HCC cells was silenced by siRNA. The proliferation ability of HCC cells in siRNA and control groups was detected by EdU proliferation assay. The migration ability of HCC cells in two groups was observed by cell scratch test. GHR mRNA expression and other data were statistically compared by t test.

Results

The TCGA database analysis demonstrated that the average relative expression level of GHR mRNA in HCC tissues was 17.22±0.09, significantly lower than 20.26±0.12 in adjacent tissues (t=-11.95, P<0.05). The relative expression of GHR mRNA in 30 HCC tissues was 125.40±70.70, significantly lower than 610.20±167.73 in adjacent tissues (t=-5.53, P<0.05). Survival analysis showed that patients with high expression of GHR had better overall survival and prognosis (HR=0.56, P<0.05). After 97L cells were transfected with siRNA, the relative expression of GHR mRNA in siRNA group was 0.012 1±0.002 5, significantly lower than 1.000 0 in control group (t=-1 342.00, P<0.05). EdU proliferation assay showed that the percentage of cells in proliferation phase in siRNA group was (46.20±0.10)%, significantly higher than (32.50±0.04)% in the control group (t=5.36, P<0.05). Cell scratch test revealed that the invasion and metastasis abilities of cells enhanced after silencing the GHR gene.

Conclusions

The expression level of GHR is low in HCC, which is associated with the clinical prognosis of HCC patients. HCC patients with low expression of GHR has poorer prognosis. Inhibiting GHR expression promotes the proliferation and migration of HCC cells.

Key words: Carcinoma, hepatocellular, Growth hormone receptor, Cell proliferation, Cell migration, Prognosis

Zhaozhong Zhong, Zhiyong Xiong, Hao Liang, Feng Yuan, Mingbo Cao, Sha Xiang, Meihai Deng. Relationship between growth hormone receptor and proliferation, migration and clinical prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma[J]. Chinese Journal of Hepatic Surgery(Electronic Edition), 2021, 10(02): 210-214.

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References 21

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