Comprehensive analysis of partial epithelial mesenchymal transition-related genes in hepatocellular carcinoma

Increasing evidence has revealed that cancer cells undergoing an intermediate state, partial epithelial mesenchymal transition (p-EMT), tend to metastasize rather than complete EMT. We performed a comprehensive analysis of E-cadherin and 25 p-EMT-related genes in HCC to explore the roles and regulatory mechanisms of them in HCC. We analysed E-cadherin and 25 p-EMT-related genes in HCC and constructed an mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA ceRNA subnetwork containing p-EMT-related genes by bioinformatic approaches. IHC was used to identify the protein expression of key p-EMT-related genes, P4HA2, ITGA5, MMP9, MT1X and SPP1. Complete EMT is not necessary for HCC progression. Overexpression of P4HA2, ITGA5, MMP9, SPP1 and down-regulation of MT1X were found in HCC tissues, which were significantly associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. By means of stepwise reverse prediction and validation from mRNA to lncRNA, an mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA ceRNA subnetwork correlated with HCC prognosis was identified by expression and survival analysis. This study implied that key p-EMT-related genes P4HA2, ITGA5, MMP9, MT1X, SPP1 could be prognostic biomarkers and potential targets of therapy for HCC patients. We constructed an mRNA-miRNA-lncRNA subnetwork containing p-EMT-related genes successfully, among which each component might be utilized as a prognostic biomarker of HCC.