PIG11 over-expression predicts good prognosis and induces HepG2 cell apoptosis via reactive oxygen species-dependent mitochondrial pathway.

P53-induced protein 11 (PIG11), one of the primeval transcriptional targets of p53, is up-regulated in apoptosis induced by multiple chemopreventive agents and is involved in tumorigenesis or tumor development. Nevertheless, the clinical value and biological role of PIG11 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are still unknown. In the present article, we explored the expression pattern of PIG11 in HCC tumor tissues, the prognostic value of PIG11 for HCC patients, and the biological functions on the apoptosis of HepG2 cells. We discovered that high PIG11 expression was negatively associated with certain clinical characteristics, and higher expression of PIG11 resulted in better prognosis of patients with HCC. PIG11 over-expression induced HepG2 cell apoptosis through the mitochondrial pathway, and reactive oxygen species played a regulatory role in this process. Hence, PIG11 may act as a candidate liver tumor suppressor and exhibit potential as a novel prognostic biomarker for HCC.