Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40210831›Full record

ArticleDiscover oncology2025

Relationship between retinol metabolism and hepatocellular carcinoma: a comprehensive analysis of Mendelian randomization, prognostic characteristic and experiment.

Fuqing Chen, Yifan Cai, Jianyin Zhou

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Article in Discover oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Fuqing ChenDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Translational Medical of Digestive System Tumor, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, 201 - 209 Hubin South Road, Xiamen, 361004, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China.
Yifan CaiDepartment of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361004, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China.
Jianyin ZhouDepartment of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Xiamen Key Laboratory of Translational Medical of Digestive System Tumor, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma, Zhongshan Hospital of Xiamen University, School of Medicine, Xiamen University, 201 - 209 Hubin South Road, Xiamen, 361004, Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. zhoujianyin2000@sina.com.

Funding

Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province No.2024J011331Xiamen Natural Science Foundation No.3502Z20227269
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeRetinol metabolism is intricately linked to the occurrence and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, the precise pathogenic relationship between them remains elusive. The aim of this study was to elucidate the characteristics of retinol metabolism in HCC through Mendelian randomization, prognostic model and experimental validation.

methodsWe used transcriptomic data related to HCC in TCGA and GEO databases for a variety of machine learning, including differential gene expression analysis, functional enrichment analysis, protein-protein network interaction, ceRNA regulatory network, and single-cell sequencing analysis. Mendelian randomization analysis was used to elucidate the causal analysis of retinol metabolism and the occurrence of HCC. Consensus cluster analysis was performed based on 11 retinol metabolism-related genes, and the prognostic model was constructed by Lasso regression and Cox regression analysis. The expression level of RDH16 gene was detected in cell lines and clinical samples, and finally the function of RDH16 gene and its regulatory relationship with miR- 665 were verified by in vitro cell experiments.

resultsDifferentially expressed genes were mainly concentrated in the retinol metabolic pathway. Mendelian randomization analysis showed that decreased retinol metabolic activity was causally associated with the occurrence of HCC. RDH16 gene was significantly lower expressed in HCC, and inhibition of RDH16 gene expression could promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of HCC cells and inhibit cell apoptosis. miR- 665 is an upstream regulator of RDH16 gene, which can inhibit the expression and function of RDH16.

conclusionThe decrease of retinol metabolic activity can promote the occurrence and development of HCC. Targeting retinol metabolic pathway may be a new direction for the treatment of HCC.

Indexed as

Hepatocellular carcinomaMendelian randomizationMiR- 665RDH16Retinol metabolism

Identifiers

PMID40210831
PMCPMC11985832

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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.