Reviewer's report
Title:Autophagy and apoptosis-related genes in chronic liver disease and
hepatocellular carcinoma
Version: 2Date:7 May 2012
Reviewer: Ying-Hong Shi
Reviewer's report:
The manuscript presented by Kotsafti et al. describes the expression level of
autophagy and apoptosis related genes and proteins in liver tissues and HCC,
furthermore, the high Beclin 1, Bcl-xl and Bad levels in CH and CIRR tissue and
low expressions of those proteins in HCC indicted that an interaction between
autophagy and apoptosis.
Major Compulsory Revisions:
1, The results of expression level of autophagy and apoptosis related genes were
based on the relative small group of 85 patients including CH, CIRR and HCC.
The sample size should be expanded or another independent cohort of similar
patients were needed to validate the correlation.
2, The expression level of Beclin 1, Bcl-xl and Bad (mRNA and protein) in tissue
is not a true indictor of activity of autophagy and apoptosis. Alternative studies
(autophagy and apoptosis activity in cell lines or in vivo study) are mandatory to
demonstrate that conclusions that Beclin 1, Bcl-xl and Bad are down-regulated in
HCC, and higher expression in CH and CIRR.
3, In Figure 3, only two pairs of HCC and PHCC were not convincing to get the
definite results of the protein levels in HCC.
4, In previous published studies, The Bcl-XL is overexpressed in a great
percentage of HCCs (Takehara T, Hepatology 2001; Ding ZB, Cancer Res,
2008). The authors should interpret the reasons of this discrepancy or provide
other data to demonstrate their different result.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
Reviewer's report
Title:Autophagy and apoptosis-related genes in chronic liver disease and
hepatocellular carcinoma
Version: 2Date:7 May 2012
Reviewer: Ying-Hong Shi
Reviewer's report:
The manuscript presented by Kotsafti et al. describes the expression level of
autophagy and apoptosis related genes and proteins in liver tissues and HCC,
furthermore, the high Beclin 1, Bcl-xl and Bad levels in CH and CIRR tissue and
low expressions of those proteins in HCC indicted that an interaction between
autophagy and apoptosis.
Major Compulsory Revisions:
1, The results of expression level of autophagy and apoptosis related genes were
based on the relative small group of 85 patients including CH, CIRR and HCC.
The sample size should be expanded or another independent cohort of similar
patients were needed to validate the correlation.
2, The expression level of Beclin 1, Bcl-xl and Bad (mRNA and protein) in tissue
is not a true indictor of activity of autophagy and apoptosis. Alternative studies
(autophagy and apoptosis activity in cell lines or in vivo study) are mandatory to
demonstrate that conclusions that Beclin 1, Bcl-xl and Bad are down-regulated in
HCC, and higher expression in CH and CIRR.
3, In Figure 3, only two pairs of HCC and PHCC were not convincing to get the
definite results of the protein levels in HCC.
4, In previous published studies, The Bcl-XL is overexpressed in a great
percentage of HCCs (Takehara T, Hepatology 2001; Ding ZB, Cancer Res,
2008). The authors should interpret the reasons of this discrepancy or provide
other data to demonstrate their different result.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
Please review this paper.
user
Reviewer's report
Title:Autophagy and apoptosis-related genes in chronic liver disease and
hepatocellular carcinoma
Version: 2Date:7 May 2012
Reviewer: Ying-Hong Shi
Reviewer's report:
The manuscript presented by Kotsafti et al. describes the expression level of
autophagy and apoptosis related genes and proteins in liver tissues and HCC,
furthermore, the high Beclin 1, Bcl-xl and Bad levels in CH and CIRR tissue and
low expressions of those proteins in HCC indicted that an interaction between
autophagy and apoptosis.
Major Compulsory Revisions:
1, The results of expression level of autophagy and apoptosis related genes were
based on the relative small group of 85 patients including CH, CIRR and HCC.
The sample size should be expanded or another independent cohort of similar
patients were needed to validate the correlation.
2, The expression level of Beclin 1, Bcl-xl and Bad (mRNA and protein) in tissue
is not a true indictor of activity of autophagy and apoptosis. Alternative studies
(autophagy and apoptosis activity in cell lines or in vivo study) are mandatory to
demonstrate that conclusions that Beclin 1, Bcl-xl and Bad are down-regulated in
HCC, and higher expression in CH and CIRR.
3, In Figure 3, only two pairs of HCC and PHCC were not convincing to get the
definite results of the protein levels in HCC.
4, In previous published studies, The Bcl-XL is overexpressed in a great
percentage of HCCs (Takehara T, Hepatology 2001; Ding ZB, Cancer Res,
2008). The authors should interpret the reasons of this discrepancy or provide
other data to demonstrate their different result.
Level of interest: An article of limited interest
Quality of written English: Acceptable
Statistical review: No, the manuscript does not need to be seen by a
statistician.
Declaration of competing interests:
I declare that I have no competing interests
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