High expression levels of putative hepatic stem/progenitor cell biomarkers related to tumour angiogenesis and poor prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Background/aims To investigate the prognostic values of putative hepatic stem/progenitor cell (HSC/HPC) biomarkers in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Fourteen biomarkers related to HSCs/HPCs or tumour angiogenesis were assessed by qRT-PCR and then validated by tissue microarrays (TMAs) in three independent cohorts of patients with HCC undergoing curative resection (n=67, 314 and 73). Results Most of the biomarkers were found to be overexpressed in patients with recurrent HCC by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). The HSC/HPC biomarkers cytokeratin 19, ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2), CD133, Nestin and CD44, and the markers of angiogenesis microvessel density (MVD, determined by CD34 immunostaining), vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF) and platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF) were confirmed as significant predictors for overall survival ( OS) and/or relapse-free surviva