Genetic polymorphisms in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway genes as predictors of tumor development and survival in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objectives: Wnt/β-catenin signaling has a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study aimed to determine whether genetic variation in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is associated with the development and/or progression of HCC and the survival of patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated HCC.

Design And Methods: We assessed seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the AXIN1, AXIN2, CTNNB1, and WNT2 genes in 245 patients with HBV-associated HCC and 483 chronic HBV carriers without HCC.

Interleukin-8 level as a prognostic marker in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated hepatocellular carcinoma treated with transarterial chemoembolization.

We investigated the association between serum interleukin (IL)-8 levels and post-transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) outcomes in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated HCC. We enrolled 119 TACE-treated patients with HBV-associated HCC; TACE refractoriness and liver transplantation (LT)-free survival were evaluated during follow-up. Pre-TACE serum levels of various cytokines (epidermal growth factor [EGF], fibroblast growth factor 2, granulocyte-colony stimulating factor [G-CSF], interferon-γ, IL-8, IL-12, IL-17A, interferon-γ-inducible protein-10, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, tumor necrosis factor-α and vascular endothelial growth factor) were analyzed.

The biocompatibility of SLA-treated titanium implants.

The titanium implant surface was sandblasted with large grits and acid etched (SLA) to increase the implant surface for osseointegration. The topography of the titanium surface was investigated with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a profilometer. The SLA implant demonstrated uniform small micro pits (1-2 microm in diameter).