Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39743888›Full record

ArticleClinical and molecular hepatology2025

Male preference for TERT alterations and HBV integration in young-age HBV-related HCC: implications for sex disparity.

Jin Seoub Kim, Hye Seon Kim, Kwon Yong Tak, Ji Won Han, Heechul Nam, Pil Soo Sung, Sung Won Lee, Jung Hyun Kwon, Si Hyun Bae, Jong Young Choi and 2 more

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Article in Clinical and molecular hepatology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Jin Seoub KimThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.
Hye Seon KimThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.
Kwon Yong TakDepartment of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Ji Won HanThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.
Heechul NamThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.
Pil Soo SungThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.
Sung Won LeeThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.
Jung Hyun KwonThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.
Si Hyun BaeThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.
Jong Young ChoiThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.
Seung Kew YoonThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.
Jeong Won JangThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, The Catholic University of Korea.

Funding

Ministry of Science, ICT and Future PlanningNational Research Foundation of Korea 2021R1I1A2056660Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea ZC22SISE0926
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

aimsHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) exhibits significant sex disparities in incidence, yet its molecular mechanisms remain unclear. We explored the role of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) genetic alterations and hepatitis B virus (HBV) integration, both known major contributors to HCC, in sex-specific risk for HBV-related HCC.

methodsWe examined 310 HBV-related HCC tissues to investigate sex-specific TERT promoter (TERT-pro) mutations and HBV integration profiles, stratified by sex and age, and validated with single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data.

resultsTumors predominantly exhibited TERT-pro mutations (26.0% vs. 0%) and HBV-TERT integration (37.0% vs. 3.0%) compared to non-tumorous tissues. While TERT-pro mutations increased with age in both sexes, younger males (≤60 years) showed marked predominance compared to younger females. Males had significantly more HBV integrations at younger ages, while females initially had fewer integrations that gradually increased with age. Younger males' integrations showed significantly greater enrichment in the TERT locus compared to younger females, alongside a preference for promoters, PreS/S regions, and CpG islands. Overall, TERT genetic alterations were significantly sex-differential in younger individuals (75.3% in males vs. 23.1% in females) but not in older individuals (76.9% vs. 83.3%, respectively). These alterations were associated with increased TERT expression. The skewed TERT abnormalities in younger males were further corroborated by independent scRNA-seq data.

conclusionOur findings highlight the critical role of TERT alterations and HBV integration patterns in the male predominance of HCC incidence among younger HBV carriers, offering insights for future exploration to optimize sex-specific patient care and HCC surveillance strategies.

Indexed as

Carcinoma, HepatocellularHepatitis BHepatitis B virusLiver NeoplasmsTelomeraseVirus IntegrationAdultAgedAge FactorsCpG IslandsFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMutationPromoter Regions, GeneticTelomeraseTERT protein, humanHepatocellular carcinomaMutationSexTelomereVirus integration

Identifiers

PMID39743888
PMCPMC12016656

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.