2. Academic Validation
  3. High MRPS23 expression contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation and indicates poor survival outcomes

High MRPS23 expression contributes to hepatocellular carcinoma proliferation and indicates poor survival outcomes

  • Tumour Biol. 2017 Jul;39(7):1010428317709127. doi: 10.1177/1010428317709127.
Meng Pu 1,  Jianlin Wang 1,  Qike Huang 1,  Ge Zhao 2,  Congcong Xia 1,  Runze Shang 1,  Zhuochao Zhang 1,  Zhenyuan Bian 1,  Xishegn Yang 1,  Kaishan Tao 1
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 1 Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
  • 2 2 Department of Thyroid, Breast and Vascular Surgery, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, China.
PMID: 28714366 DOI: 10.1177/1010428317709127
Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the most prevalent neoplasms and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 is encoded by a nuclear gene and participates in mitochondrial protein translation. Mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 overexpression has been found in many types of Cancer. In this study, we explored mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 expression in primary hepatocellular carcinoma tissues compared with matched adjacent non-tumoral liver tissues using mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 messenger RNA and protein levels collected from public databases and clinical samples. Immunohistochemistry was performed to analyze the relationship between mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 and various clinicopathological features. The results indicated that mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 was significantly overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma. High mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 expression was correlated with the tumor size and tumor-metastasis-node stage. Moreover, patients with high mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 expression levels presented poorer survival rates. Mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 was an independent prognostic factor for survival, especially at the early stage of hepatocellular carcinoma. In addition, the downregulation of mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 decreased the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, we verified for the first time that mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 expression was upregulated in hepatocellular carcinoma. High mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 levels can predict poor clinical outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma, and this protein plays a key role in tumor proliferation. Therefore, mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23 may be a potential therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Keywords

Mitochondrial ribosomal protein S23; biomarker; hepatocellular carcinoma; prognosis; proliferation.

Figures