Dysregulated circ_0004913, circ_0008160, circ_0000517, and their potential as biomarkers for disease monitoring and prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract

Circular RNA_0004913 (circ_0004913), circular RNA_0008160 (circ_0008160), and circular RNA_0000517 (circ_0000517) are shown to be dysregulated in HCC tissues and cell lines, and also show potential in regulating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) pathogenesis. This current study attempted to find possible associations of circ_0004913, circ_0008160, and circ_0000517 with clinical features and prognosis of HCC patients. A hundred and fifty HCC patients who received hepatectomy were retrospectively reviewed, and their resected specimens including tumor tissues and paired adjacent tissues were obtained, in which the circ_0004913, circ_0008160, and circ_0000517 expressions were detected. Overall survival (OS) data were collected according to the clinical visit records. Circ_0004913 (p<0.001) and circ_0008160 (p<0.001) were downregulated, while circ_0000517 (p<0.001) was upregulated in tumor tissue compared with paired adjacent tissue. Additionally, tumor circ_0004913 was negatively associated with largest tumor size (p=0.009) and Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage (p=0.020), while tumor circ_0008160 and circ_0000517 were not correlated with any clinicopathological features of HCC patients (all p>0.05). Tumor circ_0004913 high expression was associated with prolonged OS in total HCC patients (p=0.008) and in subgroup of patients with largest tumor size <5cm (p=0.008). Tumor circ_0008160 high expression was correlated with longer OS in patients with BCLC stage B (p=0.026). Univariate Cox's analysis disclosed that tumor circ_0004913 high expression was correlated with longer OS; while after adjustment by multivariate Cox's analysis, it failed to predict OS independently. Circ_0004913 was downregulated in tumor tissue and may serve as a biomarker for evaluating disease severity and prognosis in HCC patients.