Evidence mapPaperPMID 41968128Full record

SynthesisScientific reports2026

Clinicopathological significance of Gli1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Sisi Li, Mengfan Chen, Shanshan Zhang, Zhong Xu, Hongling Wang

Abstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Scientific reports, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

5 authors.

Sisi Li *Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
Mengfan Chen *Department of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China.
Shanshan ZhangIndependent Scholar, Shanghai, 200237, China.
Zhong XuDepartment of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China. xucong0567@163.com.
Hongling WangDepartment of Gastroenterology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, Hubei, China. zhnwhl@whu.edu.cn.

Funding

the National Natural Science Foundation of China 82273063
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

This meta-analysis assessed the clinicopathological significance of GLI1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, Wan Fang, and CNKI for studies through October 2025. Studies assessing GLI1 by immunohistochemistry in HCC tissue and reporting its clinicopathological correlations were included. Study quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Publication bias and sensitivity analyses were performed, and subgroup analyses were conducted when > 4 studies were available. Analysis of ten studies (n = 974) showed significant GLI1 upregulation in HCC versus non-tumorous tissues (OR = 7.06, 95% CI 3.21-15.54, P < 0.0001). Elevated GLI1 was associated with intrahepatic metastasis (OR = 2.51, 95% CI 1.42-4.43, P = 0.002), vascular invasion (OR = 2.98, 95% CI 1.64-5.42, P < 0.001), hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OR = 2.32, 95% CI 1.28-4.20, P = 0.006). The significance of advanced pTNM stage (OR = 3.03, 95% CI 1.29-7.10, P = 0.011) disappeared after adjusting for publication bias (adjusted OR = 1.94, 95% CI 0.85-4.40). No significant associations were found with patient age, liver cirrhosis, serum AFP level, and tumor size. Findings are based on observational studies with heterogeneity in GLI1 assessment; evidence certainty for several outcomes is low or very low. These findings support the hypothesis that GLI1 might be involved in aggressive HCC phenotypes and warrant its investigation in future, standardized prospective studies to assess its potential clinical utility.Trial registration: The study protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42024500731).

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularLiver NeoplasmsZinc Finger Protein GLI1Biomarkers, TumorGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansBiomarkers, TumorGLI1 protein, humanZinc Finger Protein GLI1Clinicopathological featuresGli1Hepatocellular carcinomaMeta-analysis

Identifiers

PMID41968128
PMCPMC13230868

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.