Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41223874›Full record

ArticleThe Korean journal of internal medicine2025

Exosomal miRNA-720 as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Ji Min Kim, Hye Seon Kim, Jin Seoub Kim, Ji Won Han, Soon Kyu Lee, Heechul Nam, Pil Soo Sung, Si Hyun Bae, Jong Young Choi, Seung Kew Yoon and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Korean journal of internal medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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

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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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
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4 · The record

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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

11 authors.

Ji Min KimThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Hye Seon KimThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Jin Seoub KimThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Ji Won HanThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Soon Kyu LeeThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Heechul NamThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Pil Soo SungThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Si Hyun BaeThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Jong Young ChoiThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Seung Kew YoonThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Jeong Won JangThe Catholic University Liver Research Center, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.

Funding

Korean Liver Cancer AssociationMinistry of Science, ICT and Future PlanningNational Research Foundation of Korea 2021R1I1A2056660
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

aimsCirculating exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) can serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for cancer. This study aimed to identify specific miRNAs in serum exosomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and validate their biological functions as novel diagnostic and predictive biomarkers.

methodsSerum exosomal miRNAs in patients with HCC (n = 241) and without HCC (n = 45) were measured by qRT-PCR. The role of exosomal miRNAs in HCC was investigated through in vitro tests and verified in a clinical cohort of patients.

resultsIn vitro, we observed delivery of exosomal miRNA-720 (miR-720) to recipient cells. Exosome-mediated miR-720 promoted proliferation and inhibited apoptosis of recipient HCC cells. Exosomal miR-720 inhibited tumor suppressor StarD13 expression in recipient cells. Additionally, exosomal miR-720 promoted stemness in recipient cells by increasing protein expression of stemness-associated markers such as OCT4 and c-MYC. In our cohort, serum exosomal miR-720 was significantly upregulated in HCC patients than in non-HCC patients, showing an excellent diagnostic performance for HCC. Particularly, exosomal miR-720 exhibited superior performance in diagnosing small HCC (< 2 cm) compared to AFP or DCP. Exosomal miR-720 levels positively correlated with advancing tumor stage and size. Patients with high expression of exosomal miR-720 had significantly shorter time to progression than those with low expression of exosomal miR-720 during transarterial chemoembolization (TACE).

conclusionOur results demonstrate that exosomal miR-720 plays an oncogenic role in HCC by targeting StarD13. Circulating exosomal miR-720 could be used as a novel diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker and serve as a guide for selecting treatment options including TACE for HCC.

Indexed as

Biomarkers, TumorCarcinoma, HepatocellularExosomesLiver NeoplasmsMicroRNAsAgedApoptosisCell Line, TumorCell ProliferationFemaleGene Expression Regulation, NeoplasticHumansMaleMiddle AgedPredictive Value of TestsPrognosisBiomarkers, TumorMicroRNAsBiomarkersExosomesLiver neoplasmsMicroRNAsStem cells

Identifiers

PMID41223874
PMCPMC12611490

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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.