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Updated: May 8, 2026
MicroRNA Based Liquid Biopsy: The Experience of the Plasma miRNA Signature Classifier (MSC) for Lung Cancer Screening
Published on: October 26, 2017
Circulating miR-184 and miR-206 as predictive biomarkers for early recurrence in HBV-related hepatocellular
Sang-Hoon Kim1, Ryunjin Lee2, Eunyoung Tak2
1Division of Liver Transplantation and Hepatobiliary Surgery, Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, Korea.
Background:
Early recurrence after curative resection remains a major challenge in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), particularly in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related cases. Liquid biopsy using circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) offers a non-invasive approach to identify molecular markers predictive of recurrence.
Methods:
We prospectively enrolled 30 patients with HBV-related HCC presenting with a single tumor (< 5 cm) and no vascular invasion or metastasis. Blood samples were collected preoperatively and on postoperative day 7. Expression of 20 selected miRNAs from circulating cell-free DNA/RNA and exosomes was analyzed. Participants were categorized into early recurrence (within 1 year, n = 6) and non-recurrence (n = 24) groups. Differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, and target genes of significant miRNAs were retrieved from miRTarBase. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed using STRING and visualized in Cytoscape. Enrichment analysis was performed using Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway databases.
Results:
On postoperative day 7, expression of miR-184 and miR-206 was significantly lower in the early recurrence group than in the non-recurrence group (p < 0.05). Other miRNAs showed no significant differences. Target gene analysis revealed 16 key hub proteins-CCND1, CCND2, KLF4, NOTCH3, BDNF, MET, CDK4, BCL2, AKT2, IGF1R, MYC, HDAC4, ESR1, KRAS, SMARCB1, and AGO2-enriched in cancer-related pathways and involved in HCC progression.
Conclusion:
Reduced postoperative expression of miR-184 and miR-206 may predict early recurrence in patients with HBV-related HCC. Their associated regulatory networks suggest possible mechanisms of recurrence and represent potential biomarkers for postoperative surveillance. Further studies are needed to validate their prognostic value.
