Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42749402›Full record

ArticleJournal, genetic engineering & biotechnology2026

Key hub genes and pathways associated with HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma as potential diagnostic biomarkers.

Elham Karimi, Niloufar Sadat Kalaki, Mahnaz Shavandi, Fargol Mahlouji, Abed El Hasan Haidar, Aria Abedi Asl, Fahimeh Safarnezhad Tameshkel, Farhad Zamani, Mohammad Hadi Karbalaie Niya

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal, genetic engineering & biotechnology, 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

9 authors.

Elham KarimiDepartment of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Niloufar Sadat KalakiDepartment of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mahnaz ShavandiDepartment of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Institute of Medical Biotechnology, National Institute of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran, Iran.
Fargol MahloujiDepartment of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abed El Hasan HaidarGastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Aria Abedi AslBowen Medical Center, Bowen, QLD, Australia.
Fahimeh Safarnezhad TameshkelGastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: safarnezhad.f@iums.ac.ir.
Farhad ZamaniGastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Mohammad Hadi Karbalaie NiyaGastrointestinal and Liver Diseases Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: karbalai.mh@iums.ac.ir.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains a major global health challenge, with high morbidity and mortality despite recent therapeutic advances. Early detection and identification of reliable molecular biomarkers are essential to improve patient outcomes. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate key hub genes and pathways associated with HCV-related HCC as potential diagnostic biomarkers.

methodsThe datasets GSE69715 and GSE62232 were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were recognized according to an adjusted p-value and a log fold change (logFC). The GEO2R tool facilitated the identification of common DEGs across the two datasets. Pathways were explored using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO) databases. Furthermore, protein-protein interactions (PPIs) were assessed through Cytoscape. The target genes were confirmed through a GEPIA analysis.

resultsA total of 421 common DEGs were identified, and 80 hub genes were subsequently determined through GEO and PPI network analyses, respectively. The GO and KEGG pathways analysis presented DEGs were enhanced in metabolic pathways, cellular components, extracellular exosome, detoxification of copper ion and monooxygenase activity. The GEPIA analysis indicated a notable variation in the expression levels of four specific genes -CDKN2A, CDK1, CCNB1, and TOP2A-when comparing normal samples to tumor samples.

conclusionThe present study discovered novel genes by expression variation in HCV-related hepatocellular carcinoma development. These findings suggest that CDKN2A, CDK1, CCNB1, and TOP2A are promising candidates for diagnostic biomarkers and present a valuable opportunity for the early identification of HCV-HCC, which could lead to improved treatment outcomes.

Indexed as

BioinformaticsDifferentially expressed geneHepatitis C virusHepatocellular carcinoma

Identifiers

PMID42749402
PMCPMC13276315

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
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.