Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40180668›Full record

ArticleJournal of gastroenterology2025

Circulating miR-485-3p as a biomarker for VEGF-associated therapeutic response to atezolizumab plus bevacizumab in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Kyoko Oura, Asahiro Morishita, Rie Yano, Takushi Manabe, Kei Takuma, Mai Nakahara, Tomoko Tadokoro, Koji Fujita, Shima Mimura, Joji Tani and 4 more

Abstract read
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In one paragraph

Article in Journal of gastroenterology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–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

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Kyoko OuraDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Asahiro MorishitaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan. morishita.asahiro@kagawa-u.ac.jp.ORCID 0000-0002-0760-3045
Rie YanoDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Takushi ManabeDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Kei TakumaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Mai NakaharaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Tomoko TadokoroDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Koji FujitaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Shima MimuraDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Joji TaniDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Miwa TatsutaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Takashi HimotoDepartment of Medical Technology, Kagawa Prefectural University of Health Sciences, Takamatsu, Japan.
Tsutomu MasakiDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.
Hideki KobaraDepartment of Gastroenterology and Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Kagawa University, 1750-1 Ikenobe, Miki, Kita, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIn atezolizumab/bevacizumab (atezo/bev) therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the tumor immune environment is regulated through vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) inhibition to maximize immune checkpoint blockade; however, evidence for VEGFA as a biomarker is limited. This study aimed to investigate serum VEGFA and associated microRNAs (miRNAs) as rapid biomarkers and their regulatory mechanisms in the microenvironment of HCC.

methodsFifty-four patients with unresectable HCC who were treated with atezo/bev therapy were enrolled and assigned into objective response (OR) and non-OR groups according to the best therapeutic response in 12 weeks using the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors. Serum VEGFA levels and associated miRNA expression were compared. Furthermore, the effect of cell transfection with specific miRNA was investigated.

resultThere was no significant difference in the pre-treatment serum VEGFA levels between the groups; however, the 3-week/pre-treatment ratio of serum VEGFA levels was significantly lower in the OR group than in the non-OR group. The pre-treatment serum levels of 10 miRNAs, especially miR-485-3p involved in VEGFA expression, were higher in the OR group than in the non-OR group and were further elevated after 1-7 days and 3 weeks. MiR-485-3p suppressed HuH-7 migration, enhanced the expression of protein inhibitor of activated (PIA) signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) (PIAS3), and suppressed the expression of phosphorylated STAT3/VEGFA.

conclusionCirculating miR-485-3p is a more sensitive biomarker than VEGFA for the early prediction of therapeutic response in atezo/bev therapy for HCC.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy ProtocolsCarcinoma, HepatocellularLiver NeoplasmsMicroRNAsVascular Endothelial Growth Factor AAgedAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedBevacizumabBiomarkers, TumorFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedSTAT3 Transcription FactorTreatment OutcomeTumor MicroenvironmentAntibodies, Monoclonal, HumanizedatezolizumabBevacizumabBiomarkers, TumorMicroRNAsMIRN485 microRNA, humanSTAT3 protein, humanSTAT3 Transcription FactorVascular Endothelial Growth Factor AVEGFA protein, humanAtezolizumabBevacizumabHepatocellular carcinomaMicroRNAVascular endothelial growth factor

Identifiers

PMID40180668

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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.