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Journal of Immunoassay & Immunochemistry May 2022Hepatitis B viral infection could be complicated by hepatocellular degeneration, liver cirrhosis, and cancer. A total of 87 participants - 29 each of symptomatic and...
Hepatitis B viral infection could be complicated by hepatocellular degeneration, liver cirrhosis, and cancer. A total of 87 participants - 29 each of symptomatic and asymptomatic hepatitis B positive, and hepatitis B negative individuals (controls) - were recruited, and their serum samples were evaluated for serum telomerase (a biomarker for cell aging and tumorigenesis), alpha fetoprotein, and liver enzymes. Serum telomerase of the symptomatic group was higher than that of the asymptomatic group and the control ( < .001). Serum α-fetoprotein in the symptomatic group was also higher than the asymptomatic group and the controls ( < .001). The mean AST value for the symptomatic test group was higher than the asymptomatic test group and the control ( < .001). The mean ALT value for the symptomatic test group was higher than the asymptomatic test group and the control ( < .001). However, serum α-fetoprotein, AST, and ALT in the asymptomatic group were not significantly different from the controls. Serum telomerase activity was higher in symptomatic and asymptomatic HBV subjects compared with controls; this provides better information than AFP and liver enzymes that were only higher in symptomatic subjects. Serum telomerase activity could therefore be used as a marker in predicting the onset of hepatocarcinogenesis.HBV: Hepatitis B virus; AFP: Alpha fetoprotein; ALT: Alanine transaminase; AST: Aspartate transaminase; HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; ELISA: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; CLD: Chronic liver disease; CMV: Cytomegalovirus; TERT: Telomerase reverse transcriptase; TERC: Telomerase RNA component; WHO: World Health Organization; BUHREC: Babcock University Health Research Ethics Committee; CTL: Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte.
Topics: Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Hepatitis B; Hepatitis B virus; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Liver Neoplasms; Prognosis; Telomerase; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 34861808
DOI: 10.1080/15321819.2021.2004162 -
BMC Gastroenterology Apr 2022Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a biomarker used in clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, approximately 40% of HCC patients do not present with... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
BACKGROUND
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is a biomarker used in clinical management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, approximately 40% of HCC patients do not present with elevated serum AFP levels. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and pathologic characteristics between AFP positive and negative HCC patients to allow for improved clinical management and prognostication of the disease.
METHODS
This study observed a cohort of HCC patients from Eastern and Southern China with comparisons of the clinical and pathologic features between serum AFP positive and negative patient groups; patients with decompensated hepatic cirrhosis, those with chronic hepatitis B, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) asymptomatic carrier patients were used as controls. Data included the laboratory results, pathology diagnosis, clinical staging and scores were obtained from routine clinical diagnostic methods.
RESULTS
Patients with HCC, larger tumor sizes, liver cancer with hepatic cirrhosis, portal vein thrombosis, metastasis, high Child-Pugh score, high Barcelona-Clínic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage, and advanced clinical stage had significantly higher serum AFP levels. Also, patients with HBsAg and HBeAg positive, high HBV DNA levels had significantly higher serum AFP levels. Patients with high serum AFP levels had higher protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alpha-l-fucosidase (AFU), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT), γ-GT /ALT, direct bilirubin (DBIL), indirect bilirubin (IDBIL), fibrinogen, and D-dimer levels. Patients with AFP positive had higher white blood cells (WBC), neutrophil, monocyte, and platelet count and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR).
CONCLUSIONS
The are significant differences in clinical pathologic characteristics between AFP positive and negative HCC patients which may be helpful for the management and prognostication of the disease.
Topics: Bilirubin; Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Liver Neoplasms; Protein Precursors; Prothrombin; ROC Curve; alpha-Fetoproteins; gamma-Glutamyltransferase
PubMed: 35461226
DOI: 10.1186/s12876-022-02279-w -
Obstetrics and Gynecology Jun 2023
Topics: Pregnancy; Female; Humans; alpha-Fetoproteins; Prenatal Diagnosis; Neural Tube Defects; Mass Screening
PubMed: 37486654
DOI: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000005206 -
Analytica Chimica Acta Apr 2022A novel approach for measurement of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was developed with the detection of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), where lanthanide...
A novel approach for measurement of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was developed with the detection of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), where lanthanide nanoparticles (NaYF: Yb, Er) were employed as immunolabeling probes. Amino modified NaYF: Yb, Er nanoparticles were synthesized via the hydrothermal procedure, which was followed by conjugated with anti-AFP McAb (labeling, Ab) to specifically identify AFP as immunolabeling probes. Y in immunolabeling probes was employed as an elemental tag for AFP measurement with ICP-MS, along with a linear range of 2-180 ng mL, and a LOD of 0.44 ng mL, human serum was employed to validate the approach. Cells imaging was accomplished with laser ablation (LA)-ICP-MS to confirm the combination of cancer cells and the probes. Furthermore, Y of the probes were used as an elemental tag for cancer cells counting in clinical blood samples with time resolved (TRA)-ICP-MS, indicating the potential of lanthanide nanoparticles in clinical diagnosis.
Topics: Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Lanthanoid Series Elements; Mass Spectrometry; Metal Nanoparticles; Molecular Probes; Neoplasms; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 35300795
DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2022.339639 -
Bulletin of Experimental Biology and... Aug 2019We studied the role of native α-fetoprotein preparation in the regulation of proliferation and functional activity of naïve T cells and immune memory T cells in vitro....
We studied the role of native α-fetoprotein preparation in the regulation of proliferation and functional activity of naïve T cells and immune memory T cells in vitro. The study was carried out on separated fractions of naïve T cells (CD45RA) and immune memory T cells (CD45R0) incubated with α-fetoprotein under conditions of TCR activation. At the level of naïve T cells, α-fetoprotein in a concentration of 100 U/ml reduced the expression of CD28, but increased the expression of CD25, while at the level of immune memory T cells α-fetoprotein (50 and 100 U/ml) only suppressed the expression of CD25. No effects of α-fetoprotein on the proliferative status of the studied lymphocyte subpopulations and on the expression of CD71 (proliferation marker) by these cells were detected. Addition of α-fetoprotein in a concentration of 100 U/ml increased the level of IL-2 in naïve T cell culture supernatants, while production of IL-2 by memory T cells remained unchanged. These data demonstrated the priority aspects of regulation of the functional activities of naïve T cells and immune memory T cells.
Topics: Cell Proliferation; Cells, Cultured; Humans; Immunologic Memory; Interleukin-2; Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; Leukocyte Common Antigens; T-Lymphocytes; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 31493259
DOI: 10.1007/s10517-019-04552-7 -
Expert Review of Gastroenterology &... Oct 2018
Topics: Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Early Detection of Cancer; Humans; Liver; Liver Neoplasms; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Ultrasonography; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 30118333
DOI: 10.1080/17474124.2018.1512855 -
PloS One 2020Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become a pressing health problem facing the world today due to its high morbidity, high mortality, and late discovery. As a diagnostic... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
OBJECTIVE
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has become a pressing health problem facing the world today due to its high morbidity, high mortality, and late discovery. As a diagnostic criteria of HCC, the exact threshold of Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is controversial. Therefore, this study was aimed to systematically estimate the performance of AFP in diagnosing HCC and to clarify its optimal threshold.
METHODS
Medline and Embase databases were searched for articles indexed up to November 2019. English language studies were included if both the sensitivity and specificity of AFP in the diagnosis of HCC were provided. The basic information and accuracy data included in the studies were extracted. Combined estimates for sensitivity and specificity were statistically analyzed by random-effects model using MetaDisc 1.4 and Stata 15.0 software at the prespecified threshold of 400 ng/mL, 200 ng/mL, and the range of 20-100 ng/mL. The optimal threshold was evaluated by the area under curve (AUC) of the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC).
RESULTS
We retrieved 29,828 articles and included 59 studies and 1 review with a total of 11,731 HCC cases confirmed by histomorphology and 21,972 control cases without HCC. The included studies showed an overall judgment of at risk of bias. Four studies with AFP threshold of 400 ng/mL showed the summary sensitivity and specificity of 0.32 (95%CI 0.31-0.34) and 0.99 (95%CI 0.98-0.99), respectively. Four studies with AFP threshold of 200 ng/mL showed the summary sensitivity and specificity of 0.49 (95%CI 0.47-0.50) and 0.98 (95%CI 0.97-0.99), respectively. Forty-six studies with AFP threshold of 20-100 ng/mL showed the summary sensitivity and specificity of 0.61 (95%CI 0.60-0.62) and 0.86 (95%CI 0.86-0.87), respectively. The AUC of SROC and Q index of 400 ng/mL threshold were 0.9368 and 0.8734, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in 200 ng/mL threshold (0.9311 and 0.8664, respectively) and higher than those in 20-100 ng/mL threshold (0.8330 and 0.7654, respectively). Furthermore, similar result that favored 400 ng/mL were shown in the threshold in terms of AFP combined with ultrasound.
CONCLUSION
AFP levels in serum showed good accuracy in HCC diagnosis, and the threshold of AFP with 400 ng/mL was better than that of 200 ng/mL in terms of sensitivity and specificity no matter AFP is used alone or combined with ultrasound.
Topics: Area Under Curve; Biomarkers, Tumor; Biometry; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Case-Control Studies; Data Accuracy; Databases, Factual; Humans; Immunologic Tests; Liver Neoplasms; ROC Curve; Sensitivity and Specificity; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 32053643
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228857 -
BMC Cancer Oct 2022The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of serum oligosaccharide chain (G-test), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and aspartic aminotransferase to alanine...
The combination of serum oligosaccharide chain (G-test), alpha-fetoprotein, and aspartate aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratio provides the optimal diagnostic value for early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic value of serum oligosaccharide chain (G-test), alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and aspartic aminotransferase to alanine aminotransferase ratios (AAR), both alone and in combination, for predicting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) onset.
METHODS
Between Januarys 2020-2022, 152 subjects admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University was enrolled in this study, of which 77 had HCC, 18 chronic hepatitis (CH), 37 liver cirrhosis (LC) and 20 were healthy. Data for patient characteristics were collected, and differences between groups were analyzed by either Mann-Whitney U or χ2 tests. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to determine the diagnostic value of AFP, G-test, and AAR for HCC.
RESULTS
G-test, AFP, and AAR were all found to have close correlations with HCC among the different patient groups, with G-test being the most predictive for HCC among healthy and CL patients, as represented by respective areas under the curve (AUC) of 0.953 and 0.792 (P < 0.001). By contrast, AAR had the greatest diagnostic ability for HCC among CH patients (AUC = 0.850; P < 0.001). However, the combination of all 3 biomarkers obtained the most optimal results for predicting HCC onset, in terms of predictive capability for all 3 non-HCC patient groups, yielding AUCs of 0.958, 0.898, and 0.808 (P < 0.001) for, respectively, healthy, CH, and LC patients. Additionally, AFP had higher specificity, but lower sensitivity, with increased threshold values, as the recommended threshold of AFP ≥ 400 ng/mL yielded a missed diagnosis rate of 72.7%. For AFP-negative HCC (AFP-NHCC) patients, G-test alone had the greatest diagnostic capability (AUC = 0.855; P < 0.001), sensitivity (83.8%), and specificity (87.5%).
CONCLUSION
G-test has the greatest diagnostic capability for HCC and AFP-NHCC, with high sensitivity and specificity, among healthy and LC patients. However, AAR had the highest diagnostic capability and sensitivity for HCC in CH. Overall, though, the combination of G-test, AFP and AAR provided the most optimal outcomes for predicting HCC onset, no matter the patient pre-conditions.
Topics: Alanine Transaminase; Aspartate Aminotransferases; Biomarkers; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Humans; Liver Cirrhosis; Liver Neoplasms; Oligosaccharides; ROC Curve; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 36241994
DOI: 10.1186/s12885-022-10139-9 -
PeerJ 2023The significance of the current study was to determine normative levels of PIVKA-II and AFP in patients with unresectable HCC and healthy participants. The second goal... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Levels of PIVKA-II and alpha-fetoprotein in unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma compared to healthy controls and predictive values of both markers with radiological responses after loco-regional interventions.
BACKGROUND
The significance of the current study was to determine normative levels of PIVKA-II and AFP in patients with unresectable HCC and healthy participants. The second goal was to assess the roles of PIVKA-II and AFP in predicting radiological response after loco-regional therapy.
METHODS
This prospective cohort study enrolled consecutive samples of HCC patients and healthy controls. Venous blood samples were obtained at baseline and after interventions to determine serum levels of PIVKA-II and AFP using the chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay method. Radiologic responses were determined based on the WHO criteria.
RESULTS
Fifty-four HCC patients (mean age 58.9 years, 49 males) and 40 healthy controls (mean age 33.5 years, 26 males) were recruited. The median serum levels of PIVKA-II and AFP in HCC . healthy controls were 988.4 . 24.2 mAU/ml and 13.6 . 1.7 ng/ml, respectively (both < 0.001). With ROC curve analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) for PIVKA-II was 0.95 95% CI [0.90-0.99], and for AFP it was 0.98, 95% CI [0.95-1.0]). The cut-off value for PIVKA-II was 41.4 mAU/ml, and AFP was 4.8 ng/ml. PIVKA-II levels correlated significantly with radiological responses ( = 0.64, = 0.02) but not AFP ( = 0.09, = 0.2).
CONCLUSION
PIVKA-II and AFP levels are distinctive between unresectable HCC and healthy controls. However, PIVKA-II, not AFP, can predict the radiological response after loco-regional therapy.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; alpha-Fetoproteins; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular; Liver Neoplasms; Prospective Studies
PubMed: 37780370
DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15988 -
Tumour Biology : the Journal of the... Aug 2014The mucin family of proteins is largely expressed on sedentary epithelial cells lining the gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and reproductive tracts and their associated... (Review)
Review
The mucin family of proteins is largely expressed on sedentary epithelial cells lining the gastrointestinal, pulmonary, and reproductive tracts and their associated organs and malignant tumors. It is less well-known that mucins are also expressed on circulatory cells of the immune and inflammatory systems, such as monocytes, macrophages, leukemic, and lymphoma cells. The epithelial mucins function in (a) protection and lubrication of mucosal linings, (b) cell adhesion and cell-to-cell contact, (c) cell migration and metastasis, and (d) signal transduction. It would be logical to presume that mucins expressed on circulating mononuclear cells could perform similar functions. Recently, it was proposed that the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) receptor, known to be present on solid epithelial-derived malignant tumor cells, can be identified as a mucin glycoprotein. Interestingly, it was also reported that AFP binds to a receptor on circulating cells and sedentary tumor cells of lymphoreticular origin, especially monocytes associated with lymphomas and leukemias. The primary objective of the present commentary is to present literature-based evidence that some of the cell surface mucins on sedentary epithelial tumor cells and certain mucins expressed on circulating monocytes/macrophages are identical to the AFP receptor. The secondary objective is to discuss the role of AFP and its derived peptides in the growth suppression of adenocarcinomas and lymphomas using the AFP-mucin receptor concept as a key to the mechanism of tumor growth inhibition.
Topics: Adenocarcinoma; Humans; Macrophages; Monocytes; Mucin-1; Receptors, Cell Surface; Receptors, Peptide; alpha-Fetoproteins
PubMed: 24916573
DOI: 10.1007/s13277-014-2183-7