Serum lincRNA-p21 expression in primary liver diseases and liver metastatic diseases

Background: LincRNA-p21 is involved in the initiation and progression of many human diseases. We aimed to investigate the expression of LincRNA-p21 in different types of liver diseases. Methods: Serum from patients with primary liver diseases (chronic HBV or HCV infection, hepatitis B virus-related cirrhosis, hepatitis B virus-related HCC, non-HBV/HCV-related HCC, alcoholic liver disease) and HBV negative liver metastatic cancer and control healthy individuals was collected and serum lincRNA-p21 levels were determined by RT-qPCR. Clinicopathological characteristics of the patients were also recorded. Results: Serum lincRNA-p21 levels in patients with chronic HBV infection, hepatitis B cirrhosis, hepatitis B virus-related HCC, chronic hepatitis B virus infection, non-HBV/HCV-related HCC, and alcoholic liver disease were higher than those in the control individuals (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). The serum lincRNA-p21 level was not significantly different between patients with HBV negative liver metastatic cancer and the normal control (P = 0.80). LincRNA-p21 level was negatively correlated with HBV DNA (P = 0.02), ALT (P = 0.01) and AST (P = 0.01) in patients with liver disease, but not correlated with gender (P = 0.24), age (P = 0.11) and AFP level (P = 0.84). Serum lincRNA-p21 in hepatocellular carcinoma patients was higher than that in liver metastatic cancer patients (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Serum lincRNA-p21 may serve as a potential biomarker for liver cell damage in patients with hepatitis virus infection, hepatitis B cirrhosis, HBV-related HCC and alcoholic liver disease.