# Preliminary analysis of the diagnostic value and mechanism of action of TGFbI and S100A4 in hepatocellular carcinoma

## TL;DR

This study shows that TGF I and S100A4 are higher in liver cancer tissues and may help diagnose and predict outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma.

## Contribution

The study identifies TGF I and S100A4 as potential biomarkers for HCC diagnosis and explores their role in ferroptosis.

## Key findings

- TGF I and S100A4 are upregulated in HCC tissues compared to normal tissues.
- Higher levels of TGF I and S100A4 correlate with worse patient survival outcomes.
- Overexpression of TGF I and S100A4 in HepG2 cells reduces ferroptosis and oxidative stress.

## Abstract

The aim was to analyse the diagnostic value of transforming growth factor-beta-induced protein (TGF I) and S100 calcium-binding protein A4 (S100A4) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to explore further the effects of TGF I and S100A4 on ferroptosis in HCC cells.

We retrospectively analysed 76 patients with HCC admitted to our hospital from October 2022 to June 2023 and detected the differences in the expression of TGF I and S100A4 in cancerous tissues and paracancerous tissues to analyse their diagnostic and prognostic assessment value for HCC. Additionally, the HCC cell line HepG2 was purchased and transfected with TGF I and S100A4 abnormal expression plasmids to check changes in cell viability, oxidative stress damage, mitochondrial damage, and ferroptosis.

TGF I and S100A4 were upregulated in HCC tissues (P<0.05), and their combined detection exhibited excellent diagnostic effects for HCC. The levels of TGF I and S100A4 in patients who died prognostically were higher than those in surviving patients (P<0.05). An increase in the levels of TGF I and S100A4 indicates an elevated risk of prognostic death in patients. Upregulating TGF I and S100A4 expression in cell experiments activated HepG2 activity, inhibited apoptosis, mitochondrial and oxidative stress damage, and improved cell ferroptosis.

TGF I and S100A4 are elevated in HCC and can potentially be clinical diagnostic indicators of HCC.