Clinical significance of expression of PIWIL1 protein in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To discuss the clinical significance of positive expression of PIWI-like protein-1 (PIWIL1) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of PIWIL1 in 47 cases of HCC and matched tumor-adjacent hepatic tissues. Western blot was used to detect the expression of PIWIL1 in 31 fresh HCC tissues and matched tumor-adjacent hepatic tissues. The relationship between PIWIL1 positive expression and clinical features or prognosis of HCC patients was analyzed. RESULTS: The positive rate of PIWIL1 expression was significantly higher in HCC than in normal liver tissue (P < 0.05). PIWIL1 expression was ositively correlated with the invasion to the adjacent tissue and the histological differentiation (both P < 0.05). PIWIL1 positive cases had a poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: The high expression of PIWIL1 is related to pathological differentiation and the invasion to the adjacent tissue, as well as to the prognosis of HCC patients. ? 2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.