Overexpression of MCL-1 in canine hepatocellular carcinoma and its efficacy as a prognostic marker
Abstract Background Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1)—an anti-apoptotic protein of the B-cell lymphoma 2 family—is commonly overexpressed in human cancers, promoting tumorigenesis and chemoresistance. Upregulated MCL-1 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been demonstrated in numerous studies,...
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BMC
2025-05-01
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| Series: | BMC Veterinary Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-025-04798-6 |
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| author | Jehun Baek Jaeho Cho Hun-kyeong Shin Wan Hee Kim |
| author_facet | Jehun Baek Jaeho Cho Hun-kyeong Shin Wan Hee Kim |
| author_sort | Jehun Baek |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1)—an anti-apoptotic protein of the B-cell lymphoma 2 family—is commonly overexpressed in human cancers, promoting tumorigenesis and chemoresistance. Upregulated MCL-1 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been demonstrated in numerous studies, and therapeutic agents targeting this protein have been assessed. However, its prognostic significance in canine HCC remains unclear. The objective of this study was to detect MCL-1 protein in canine normal liver tissue and compare its expression level with that in HCC tissue using western blotting. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to quantify MCL-1 intensity levels in normal, non-neoplastic hepatic diseases, and HCC tissues, and the differences were assessed. Additionally, the relevance of MCL-1 immunostaining to various clinical and pathological parameters was evaluated. Results MCL-1 expression was markedly elevated in HCC tissues relative to normal liver tissues (P = 0.029). Additionally, all 10 normal liver tissues exhibited low IHC expression, which significantly increased as the malignancy progressed (P < 0.001). In the HCC samples, high MCL-1 immunostaining was substantially correlated with metastatic status (P = 0.034) and tumor size (P = 0.046). Moreover, survival curve analysis revealed a significant relationship between upregulated MCL-1 and lower disease-free survival and overall survival rate (P = 0.006 and P = 0.031, respectively). Conclusion MCL-1 expression is increased in canine HCC, and its overexpression significantly correlates to worse clinical outcomes. Therefore, MCL-1 is considered to be a promising prognostic marker. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d9e0ceacf1824c1e9b0e5174a514b16f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1746-6148 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
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| series | BMC Veterinary Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-d9e0ceacf1824c1e9b0e5174a514b16f2025-08-20T02:25:13ZengBMCBMC Veterinary Research1746-61482025-05-0121111110.1186/s12917-025-04798-6Overexpression of MCL-1 in canine hepatocellular carcinoma and its efficacy as a prognostic markerJehun Baek0Jaeho Cho1Hun-kyeong Shin2Wan Hee Kim3Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National UniversityDepartment of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National UniversityAbstract Background Myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1)—an anti-apoptotic protein of the B-cell lymphoma 2 family—is commonly overexpressed in human cancers, promoting tumorigenesis and chemoresistance. Upregulated MCL-1 in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been demonstrated in numerous studies, and therapeutic agents targeting this protein have been assessed. However, its prognostic significance in canine HCC remains unclear. The objective of this study was to detect MCL-1 protein in canine normal liver tissue and compare its expression level with that in HCC tissue using western blotting. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to quantify MCL-1 intensity levels in normal, non-neoplastic hepatic diseases, and HCC tissues, and the differences were assessed. Additionally, the relevance of MCL-1 immunostaining to various clinical and pathological parameters was evaluated. Results MCL-1 expression was markedly elevated in HCC tissues relative to normal liver tissues (P = 0.029). Additionally, all 10 normal liver tissues exhibited low IHC expression, which significantly increased as the malignancy progressed (P < 0.001). In the HCC samples, high MCL-1 immunostaining was substantially correlated with metastatic status (P = 0.034) and tumor size (P = 0.046). Moreover, survival curve analysis revealed a significant relationship between upregulated MCL-1 and lower disease-free survival and overall survival rate (P = 0.006 and P = 0.031, respectively). Conclusion MCL-1 expression is increased in canine HCC, and its overexpression significantly correlates to worse clinical outcomes. Therefore, MCL-1 is considered to be a promising prognostic marker.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-025-04798-6CanineWestern blottingImmunohistochemistryHepatocellular carcinomaMCL-1 |
| spellingShingle | Jehun Baek Jaeho Cho Hun-kyeong Shin Wan Hee Kim Overexpression of MCL-1 in canine hepatocellular carcinoma and its efficacy as a prognostic marker BMC Veterinary Research Canine Western blotting Immunohistochemistry Hepatocellular carcinoma MCL-1 |
| title | Overexpression of MCL-1 in canine hepatocellular carcinoma and its efficacy as a prognostic marker |
| title_full | Overexpression of MCL-1 in canine hepatocellular carcinoma and its efficacy as a prognostic marker |
| title_fullStr | Overexpression of MCL-1 in canine hepatocellular carcinoma and its efficacy as a prognostic marker |
| title_full_unstemmed | Overexpression of MCL-1 in canine hepatocellular carcinoma and its efficacy as a prognostic marker |
| title_short | Overexpression of MCL-1 in canine hepatocellular carcinoma and its efficacy as a prognostic marker |
| title_sort | overexpression of mcl 1 in canine hepatocellular carcinoma and its efficacy as a prognostic marker |
| topic | Canine Western blotting Immunohistochemistry Hepatocellular carcinoma MCL-1 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-025-04798-6 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jehunbaek overexpressionofmcl1incaninehepatocellularcarcinomaanditsefficacyasaprognosticmarker AT jaehocho overexpressionofmcl1incaninehepatocellularcarcinomaanditsefficacyasaprognosticmarker AT hunkyeongshin overexpressionofmcl1incaninehepatocellularcarcinomaanditsefficacyasaprognosticmarker AT wanheekim overexpressionofmcl1incaninehepatocellularcarcinomaanditsefficacyasaprognosticmarker |