Diagnostic and Prognostic Values of MANF Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors, and its prognosis is still poor. Mesencephalic astrocyte-derived neurotrophic factor (MANF) plays a key role in endoplasmic reticulum stress. ER stress plays a key role in HCC carcinogenesis. To confirm the clinical and prognostic value of MANF in HCC, we investigated the expression level of MANF in HCC as recorded in databases, and the results were verified by experiment. Survival analysis was probed by the Kaplan–Meier method. Cox regression models were used to ascertain the prognostic value of MANF in HCC tissue microarray. The diagnostic value of MANF in HCC was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Potential correlation between MANF and selected genes was also analyzed. Results showed that MANF was overexpressed in HCC. Patients with high MANF expression levels had a worse prognosis and higher risk of tumor recurrence. Furthermore, the expression level of MANF had good diagnostic power. Correlation analysis revealed potential regulatory networks of MANF in HCC, laying a foundation for further study of the role of MANF in tumorigenesis. In conclusion, MANF was overexpressed in HCC and related to the occurrence and development of HCC. It is a potential diagnostic and prognostic indicator of HCC.