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Int J Med Sci 2023; 20(8):1091-1096. doi:10.7150/ijms.84729 This issue Cite

Research Paper

Loss of ficolin-3 expression is associated with poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Chia-Chi Chen^1,2,3,4, Teng-Hung Yu^5,6, Cheng-Ching Wu^5,6,7, Wei-Chin Hung^5,6, Thung-Lip Lee^5,8, Wei-Hua Tang^9,10, I-Ting Tsai^6,11, Fu-Mei Chung⁵, Yau-Jiunn Lee¹², Chia-Chang Hsu^2,13,14,✉

1. Department of Pathology, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan.
2. The School of Chinese Medicine for Post Baccalaureate, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan.
3. Department of Physical Therapy, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan.
4. Department of Occupational therapy, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan.
5. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan.
6. School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan.
7. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Cancer Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan.
8. School of Medicine for International Students, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan.
9. Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Yuli Branch, Hualien 98142 Taiwan.
10. Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei 112304 Taiwan.
11. Department of Emergency, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445 Taiwan.
12. Lee's Endocrinologic Clinic, Pingtung 90000 Taiwan.
13. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 82445 Taiwan.
14. Health Examination Center, E-Da Dachang Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung 80794 Taiwan.

✉ Corresponding author: Dr. Chia-Chang Hsu; E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University No. 1, Yi-Da Rd., Jiau-Shu Village, Yan-Chao Township, Kaohsiung 82445, Taiwan Tel: +886-7-615-1100 ext. 5018; E-mail: ed100359org.tw.

Abstract

Background: Ficolin-3 (FCN3) is a well-known circulating pattern recognition molecule which plays a role in host immune responses to cancer via activation of the lectin complement pathway. Nevertheless, the clinical significance of FCN3 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is unclear.

Methods: Eighty-seven HCC patients who received hepatectomy at our hospital were included. Immunohistochemical staining was used to assess the FCN3 expression in both tumorous and non-tumorous tissues from the patients, who were classified into high and low expression groups. Differences in clinicopathological characteristics between the two groups were then analyzed.

Results: Survival was significantly associated with FCN3 immunohistochemical score (p for trend = 0.048). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a higher overall survival rate in the patients with a high FCN3 expression than in those with a low FCN3 expression (p=0.031). A high FCN3 expression in tumor tissue was independently associated with better overall survival (p=0.042). However, multivariate analysis showed that FCN3 expression was not an independent risk factor for overall survival.

Conclusion: Our findings suggest that FCN3 is significantly related to the prognosis of HCC. FCN3 may be a prognostic marker in patients with HCC.

Keywords: Hepatocellular carcinoma, ficolin-3, overall survival, immunohistochemistry

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