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Overexpression of AGGF1 is correlated with angiogenesis and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

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Abstract

Angiogenic factor with G-patch and FHA domains 1 (AGGF1) is a factor implicating in vascular differentiation and angiogenesis. Several lines of evidence indicate that aberrant expression of AGGF1 is associated with tumor initiation and progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and prognostic value of AGGF1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as well as its relationship with clinicopathological factors and tumor angiogenesis. Immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression of AGGF1 in HCC and paracarcinomatous tissues collected from 70 patients. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and CD34 expression levels were examined in the 70 HCC tissues. Prognostic significance of tumoral AGGF1 expression was determined. Notably, AGGF1 expression was significantly higher in HCC than in surrounding non-tumor tissues (65.7 vs. 25.7 %; P < 0.001). AGGF1 expression was significantly correlated with tumoral VEGF expression and CD34-positive microvessel density. Moreover, AGGF1 expression was significantly associated with tumor size, tumor capsule, vascular invasion, Edmondson grade, alpha-fetoprotein level, and TNM stage. Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed that high AGGF1 was correlated with reduced overall survival (OS) rate (P = 0.001) and disease-free survival (DFS) rate (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis identified AGGF1 as an independent poor prognostic factor of OS and DFS in HCC patients (P = 0.043 and P = 0.010, respectively). Taken together, increased AGGF1 expression is associated with tumor angiogenesis and serves as an independent unfavorable prognostic factor for OS and DFS in HCC. AGGF1 may represent a potential therapeutic target for HCC.

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Abbreviations

AFP:

Alpha-fetoprotein

AGGF1:

Angiogenic factor with G-patch and forkhead-associated domain 1

DAB:

3,3-diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride

DFS:

Disease-free survival

HBsAg:

Hepatitis B s antigen

HCC:

Hepatocellular carcinoma

HE:

Hematoxylin and eosin

KTS:

Klippel–Trenaunay syndrome

MVD:

Microvessel density

OS:

Overall survival

PBS:

Phosphate-buffered saline

TNM:

Tumor-node-metastasis

UICC:

International Union Against Cancer

VEGF:

Vascular endothelial growth factor

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Acknowledgments

This research was partly supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81201906).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Department of Medical Oncology, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Anhui Medical University, 17# Lujiang Road, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China

      Wei Wang, Da-Bing Huang & Chu-Shu Ji

    2. Department of Hepatic Surgery, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China

      Guang-Yao Li & Jian-Yu Zhu

    3. Department of Pathology, Anhui Provincial Hospital, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230001, People’s Republic of China

      Hang-Cheng Zhou & Wen Zhong

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    1. Wei Wang
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    Correspondence to Chu-Shu Ji.

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    Wei Wang, Guang-Yao Li, and Jian-Yu Zhu have contributed equally to this work.

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    Wang, W., Li, GY., Zhu, JY. et al. Overexpression of AGGF1 is correlated with angiogenesis and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Med Oncol 32, 131 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-015-0574-2

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