PLZF and PLZF-MAPK10 can predict the prognosis of postoperative patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objective: The current study aimed to explore the expression level of promyelocytic leukaemia zinc finger (PLZF) in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and to investigate the value of detecting the expression levels of PLZF and mitogen-activated protein kinase 10 (MAPK10) on predicting prognosis.

Methods: This study selected data from 53 patients with HCC who had undergone hepatectomy in our hospital. The expressions of PLZF and MAPK10 in tumor tissues and normal tissues were compared and related clinical factors were analyzed. The clinical data including patient's gender, age, hepatitis B virus infection (HBV), alpha-fetoprotein levels (AFP), tumor size, TNM stage (AJCC), cirrhosis, portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT), bile duct tumor thrombus (BDTT), and OS (Overall survival) was collected.

Results: We found that PLZF expression was significantly down-regulated in HCC samples compared with that in adjacent non-tumor tissues (P=0.001). The expression level of PLZF was correlated with patients' gender (P=0.046), tumor stage (P=0.039), and OS (P=0.015). Moreover, the expression level of PLZF-MAPK10 (P-M protein) was correlated with gender (P=0.000) and tumor stage (P=0.045). Multivariate analyses showed that microsatellite nodules, PLZF, and P-M protein were independent risk factors of HCC prognosis. Postoperative patients with a normal expression level of PLZF and MAPK10 have a longer overall survival than those with abnormal levels (P=0.039).

Conclusion: PLZF expression was significantly down-regulated in HCC tissues and itself and PLZF-MAPK10 were both independent prognostic factors for the OS of patients with HCC.