Qun Wei

Value of circulating cell-free DNA in diagnosis of hepatocelluar carcinoma

AIM To investigate the value of combined detection of circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA), α-fetal protein (AFP) and α L-fucosidase (AFU) for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS Serum samples from 39 HCC patients and 45 normal controls were collected. Branched DNA (bDNA) was used to detect the level of cfDNA, and a receiver operating characteristic curve was employed to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio and Youden index, and to assess the diagnostic efficiency and their correlations with the clinicopathological features. AFP and AFU were detected by chemiluminescence and colorimetry, respectively. The significance of combined detection of the three biomarkers was discussed. RESULTS cfDNA level was increased in 22 of the 39 HCC samples and in 2 of the 45 normal controls. cfDNA level in HCC samples was significantly higher than that in normal controls (P < 0.05). There were significant differences in sex and extra- and intrahepatic metastasis (P < 0.05). There was no significant correlation between cfDNA, AFP and AFU in the detection of HCC. The sensitivity of combined detection of cfDNA with one marker (AFP or AFU) and cfDNA with two markers (AFP and AFU) was 71.8%, 87.2% and 89.7% vs 56.4%, 53.8% and 66.7% for cfDNA, AFP and AFU used alone, respectively, the difference being statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Quantitative analysis of cfDNA is sensitive and feasible, and the combined detection of cfDNA with AFP or AFU or both could improve the diagnostic sensitivity for HCC.

Screening and validation of tumor-associated genes in human hepatocellular carcinoma tissues.

BACKGROUND/AIMS We used gene expression profile detected by Gene chip to investigate the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and screen for early diagnostic markers. METHODOLOGY Differentially expressed genes between HCC and normal liver tissues were screened by using Gene Expression Profile Chip with 14,500 distinct genes. Some selected differentially expressed genes were validated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the gene level and using immunohistochemistry for the protein level. RESULTS A total of 2757 (19.01%) differentially expressed genes were totally screened by Gene chip analysis, showing 1772 up-regulated and 984 down-regulated genes. These genes were initially classified into 16 groups according to their functions. The RT-PCR results strongly supported the Gene chip data. By immunohistochemistry, two proteins showed expression levels that corresponded to the Gene chip results, while expression levels found for one protein were different to the Gene chip results. CONCLUSIONS Gene chip is a useful tool for screening tumor-associated genes and it contributes to the understanding of pathogenesis of HCC. RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry can be used to validate the tumor-associated genes screened by Gene chip analysis.