MAGE-4 gene m-RNA and TGF in blood as potential biochemical markers for HCC in HCV-infected patients

Med Oncol. 2012 Dec;29(5):3055-62. doi: 10.1007/s12032-012-0257-1. Epub 2012 Jun 1.

Abstract

Progression from chronic hepatitis C virus infection to cirrhosis then to hepatocellular carcinoma usually results in some protein changes in peripheral blood. We evaluated MAGE-4 mRNA, TGFβ1 and AFP in peripheral blood as potential biochemical markers for diagnosis and prognosis of some complications of HCV infection. MAGE-4 mRNA in blood by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, serum TGF-Β1 and AFP by ELISA was assayed in seventy-five individuals who were classified into five groups: group I (control) comprised fifteen apparently healthy volunteers, group II involved fifteen HCV-infected patients without cirrhosis, group III involved fifteen HCV fifteen HCV-infected patients with cirrhosis, group IV included fifteen HCV-infected patients with cirrhosis and early stage HCC, and group V included fifteen HCV cirrhotic patients and late-stage HCC. We found that the frequency of positivity of MAGE-4 among the late hepatoma group was 40 %, while in the early hepatoma group the positivity was 6.7 %. The results for TGF-Β1 revealed a significant increase in serum TGF-Β1 in groups IV and V as compared to control, II, III groups. The obtained results of AFP showed a significant positive increase in serum AFP in groups IV and V when compared to groups II and III. Detection of MAGE-4 transcripts in blood, especially with follow-up survey, may help to predict the prognosis and monitoring of the response to the therapy, and serum TGF-Β1 level in HCC patients is directly correlated with metastasis and recurrence of tumors and increases gradually with the progression of HCC.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, Neoplasm / blood*
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / blood*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / virology
  • Disease Progression
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Hepatitis C / blood
  • Hepatitis C / complications*
  • Hepatitis C / genetics
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis / blood
  • Liver Cirrhosis / virology
  • Liver Neoplasms / blood*
  • Liver Neoplasms / genetics
  • Liver Neoplasms / virology
  • Neoplasm Proteins / blood*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / blood
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / analysis
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / blood*

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • MAGEA4 protein, human
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • TGFB1 protein, human
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta1