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Int J Med Sci 2018; 15(2):170-175. doi:10.7150/ijms.22513 This issue Cite

Research Paper

Variations in the AURKA Gene: Biomarkers for the Development and Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Bin Wang¹, Chin-Jung Hsu^2,3, Chia-Hsuan Chou⁴, Hsiang-Lin Lee^4,5, Whei-Ling Chiang⁶, Chen-Ming Su⁷, Hsiao-Chi Tsai⁸, Shun-Fa Yang^4,9✉, Chih-Hsin Tang^10,11,12✉

1. Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Dongyang Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Dongyang, Zhejiang, China;
2. School of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan;
3. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan;
4. Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan;
5. Department of Surgery, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan;
6. School of Medical Laboratory and Biotechnology, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan;
7. Department of Biomedical Sciences Laboratory, Affiliated Dongyang Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Dongyang, Zhejiang, China;
8. Department of Scientific Education, Qinghai Red Cross Hospital, Xining City, Qinghai, China;
9. Department of Medical Research, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan;
10. Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan;
11. Graduate Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan;
12. Department of Biotechnology, College of Health Science, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.

✉ Corresponding authors: Chih-Hsin Tang, PhD. E-mail: chtangcmu.edu.tw Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan Shun-Fa Yang, PhD. E-mail: ysfedu.tw Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan More

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a liver malignancy and a major cause of cancer mortality worldwide. AURKA (aurora kinase A) is a mitotic serine/threonine kinase that functions as an oncogene and plays a critical role in hepatocarcinogenesis. We report on the association between 4 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the AURKA gene (rs1047972, rs2273535, rs2064836, and rs6024836) and HCC susceptibility as well as clinical outcomes in 312 patients with HCC and in 624 cancer-free controls. We found that carriers of the TT allele of the variant rs1047972 were at greater risk of HCC compared with wild-type (CC) carriers. Moreover, carriers of at least one A allele in rs2273535 were less likely to progress to stage III/IV disease, develop large tumors or be classified into Child-Pugh class B or C. Individuals with at least one G allele at AURKA SNP rs2064863 were at lower risk of developing large tumors or progressing to Child-Pugh grade B or C. Our results indicate that genetic variations in the AURKA gene may serve as an important predictor of early-stage HCC and be a reliable biomarker for the development of HCC.

Keywords: AURKA polymorphisms, Hepatocellular carcinoma, Single nucleotide polymorphism, Susceptibility.

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