BACKGROUND/AIMS: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays an important role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) dissemination. Bromodomain PHD-finger transcription factor (BPTF) could regulate embrogenesis and stem cell differentiation, and it may be involved in tumor progression and EMT. In this study, we aimed to determine BPTF, E-cadherin and vimentin expression in tumor tissues and the clinical significance in relation to HCC.

METHODS

The BPTF, vimentin and E-cadherin expression of 106 HCC tissue samples was examined by immunohistochemical staining.

RESULTS

BPTF and vimentin showed high expression and E-cadherin showed low expression in HCC. BPTF is associated with the tumor number, vascular invasion, Edmondson-Steiner grade, TNM stage and recurrence (P < 0.05). Vimentin is positively correlated with tumor size, tumor number, vascular invasion, Edmondson-Steiner grade, TNM stage and recurrence (P < 0.05). E-cadherin is negatively correlated with tumor number, Edmondson-Steiner grade, TNM stage and recurrence (P < 0.05). Survival analysis has shown that high expression of BPTF and vimentin indicates poorer overall and disease-free survival (P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis shows that BPTF is an independent marker for survival prediction (P = 0.015). Additionally, high BPTF expression is correlated with high vimentin expression and low E-cadherin expression (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

High BPTF expression may be an independent marker for survival prediction in HCC patients and is probably involved in EMT.