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Abstract
Background
We aimed to assess differences in intestinal microflora between patients with operable hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-HCC) with microvascular invasion (MVI) and those without MVI. Additionally, we investigated the potential of the microbiome as a non-invasive biomarker for patients with MVI.
Methods
We analyzed the preoperative gut microbiomes (GMs) of two groups, the MVI (n = 46) and non-MVI (n = 56) groups, using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing data. At the operational taxonomic unit level, we employed random forest models to predict MVI risk and validated the results in independent validation cohorts [MVI group (n = 17) and non-MVI group (n = 15)].
Results
β diversity analysis, utilizing weighted UniFrac distances, revealed a significant difference between the MVI and non-MVI groups, as indicated by non-metric multidimensional scaling and principal coordinate analysis. We also observed a significant correlation between the characteristic intestinal microbial communities at the genus level and their main functions. Nine optimal microbial markers were identified, with an area under the curve of 79.76% between 46 MVI and 56 non-MVI samples and 79.80% in the independent verification group.
Conclusion
This pioneering analysis of the GM in patients with operable HBV-HCC with and without MVI opens new avenues for treating HBV-HCC with MVI. We successfully established a diagnostic model and independently verified microbial markers for patients with MVI. As preoperative targeted biomarkers, GM holds potential as a non-invasive tool for patients with HBV-HCC with MVI.
Author contributions
(I) Conception and design: Yu-Chong Peng, Lu-Nan Qi; (II) Administrative support: Lu-Nan Qi; (III) Provision of study materials or patients: Yu-Chong Peng, Jing-Xuan Xu, Xue-Mei You, Lu-Nan Qi; (IV) Collection and assembly of data: Yu-Chong Peng, Jing-Xuan Xu, Xue-Mei You, Le-Qun Li, Lu-Nan Qi; (V) Data analysis and interpretation: Yu-Chong Peng, Jing-Xuan Xu, Xue-Mei You, Yi-Yue Huang, Lu-Nan Qi; (VI) Manuscript writing: All authors; (VII) Final approval of manuscript: All authors.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
All data needed to evaluate the conclusions in the paper are present in the paper and/or the Supplementary Materials. Additional data related to this paper may be requested from the authors.