Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), Growth differentiation factor 7 (GDF7), JunB proto-oncogene (JUNB), Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), Proliferation, Metastasis, Diseases of the digestive system. Gastroenterology, RC799-869

Background and aims: Inflammatory factors play significant roles in the development and occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the tumor-protective functions of growth differentiation factors (GDFs) in HCC are yet to be clarified. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the expression levels of 10 GDFs in tumor and paratumor tissues from patients with HCC and perform in vitro and in vivo experiments to elucidate the role of GDF7 in regulating the proliferation and metastasis of HCC. Methods: The gene expression of 10 GDFs was compared between HCC and paratumors using The Cancer Genome Atlas dataset and patient-derived tissues. A tumor microarray containing 108 HCC tissue samples was used to explore the prognostic value of GDF7 expression. Loss-of-function experiments were also performed in vitro and in vivo to investigate the role of GDF7 in HCC. Results: The mRNA and protein levels of GDF7 were significantly lower in HCC tumors than in paratumors (P