Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40826252›Full record

ArticleBiochemical genetics2026

Exploration Biomarkers for Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Liver Transplantation Based on Bioinformatics Analysis.

Guangyi Zhu, Shijian Li, Ziyang Luo, Ning Wen, Haibin Li, Yang Fu, Weixuan Li, Jihua Wu, Xuyong Sun

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Biochemical genetics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Guangyi ZhuInstitute of Transplantation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.166 Daxue Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China.
Shijian LiInstitute of Transplantation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.166 Daxue Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China.
Ziyang LuoInstitute of Transplantation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.166 Daxue Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China.
Ning WenInstitute of Transplantation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.166 Daxue Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China.
Haibin LiInstitute of Transplantation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.166 Daxue Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China.
Yang FuInstitute of Transplantation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.166 Daxue Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China.
Weixuan LiInstitute of Transplantation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.166 Daxue Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China.
Jihua WuInstitute of Transplantation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.166 Daxue Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China. wjh200720198@126.com.
Xuyong SunInstitute of Transplantation Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, No.166 Daxue Road, Xixiangtang District, Nanning, 530007, Guangxi, China. sunxuyong@gxmu.edu.cn.

Funding

National Key Research and Development Program of China 2023YFC2505900National Natural Science Foundation of China 81560387
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This study aimed to explore thrombin-related prognostic biomarkers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence after liver transplantation (LT). Bioinformatics analyses were conducted using TCGA-LIHC and GEO datasets. LASSO Cox regression screened thrombin-related genes (TRGs). Differential expression analysis, GSEA, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis were performed to identify key pathways and hub genes. Clinical validation included immunohistochemistry (IHC) on 78 post-LT HCC tissues. In vitro assays (CCK-8, Transwell, Colony formation) assessed MMP1/SPP1 roles in HCC cell proliferation and migration. Nine TRGs were prognostic in HCC, with MMP1 and SPP1 emerging as core regulators linked to EMT. Both genes were significantly upregulated in recurrent HCC tissues (1-year recurrence group vs. non-recurrence, P < 0.05) and correlated with reduced overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS). GSEA revealed EMT as a key enriched pathway. PPI network analysis highlighted MMP1/SPP1 centrality in ECM remodeling and cell adhesion. Clinical samples confirmed MMP1 association with vascular invasion (P = 0.023) and poor differentiation. In vitro, MMP1/SPP1 overexpression enhanced HCC cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation. Multivariate analysis identified MMP1 expression and tumor differentiation as independent recurrence risk factors. MMP1 and SPP1 are potential biomarkers for predicting post-LT HCC recurrence, likely driving metastasis via EMT activation. Their overexpression correlates with aggressive tumor behavior and adverse outcomes, offering prognostic utility and therapeutic targets to improve transplant outcomes.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorCarcinoma, HepatocellularLiver NeoplasmsLiver TransplantationNeoplasm Recurrence, LocalCell ProliferationComputational BiologyFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMatrix Metalloproteinase 1Middle AgedOsteopontinPrognosisProtein Interaction MapsBiomarkers, TumorMatrix Metalloproteinase 1MMP1 protein, humanOsteopontinSPP1 protein, humanBiomarkerEpithelial-mesenchymal transitionHepatocellular carcinomaLiver transplantationMMP1SPP1

Identifiers

PMID40826252
PMCPMC13186820

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.