Tumor-associated autoantibodies are useful biomarkers in immunodiagnosis of α-fetoprotein-negative hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM To determine the prevalence and diagnostic value of autoantibodies inα-fetoprotein(AFP)-negative hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS Fifty-six serum samples from AFP-negative HCC cases,86 from AFP-positive HCC cases,168 from chronic liver disease cases,and 59 from normal human controls were included in this study.Autoantibodies to nucleophosmin(NPM)1,14-3-3zeta and mouse double minute 2 homolog(MDM2)proteins in AFP-negative HCC serum were evaluated by enzymelinked im munosorbent assay.Partially positive sera were further evaluated by western blotting.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of three tumor-associated antigens(TAAs)in AFP-negative HCC and normal control tissues.RESULTS The frequency of autoantibodies to the three TAAs in AFP-negative HCC sera was 21.4%,19.6%and 19.6%,which was significantly higher than in the chronic liver disease cases and normal human controls(P<0.01)as well as AFP-positive HCC cases.The sensitivity of the three autoantibodies for diagnosis of AFP-negative HCC ranged from 19.6%to 21.4%,and the specificity was approximately 95%.When the three autoantibodies were combined,the sensitivity reached 30.4%and the specificity reached 91.6%.CONCLUSION Autoantibodies to NPM1,14-3-3zeta and MDM2 may be useful biomarkers for immunodiagnosis of AFP-negative HCC.

Decreased expression of gastrokine 1 in gastric mucosa of gastric cancer patients

AIM: To investigate the expression of gastrokine 1(GKN1) in normal gastric mucosa, precancerous lesions and gastric cancer tissues, and to analyse its correlations with tumour site and pathological pattern.METHODS: Thirty gastric cancer patients(12 cases of diffuse type and 18 cases of intestinal type), 13 atrophic gastritis patients and 15 healthy volunteers with almost normal gastric mucosa(superficial gastritis) were enrolled in this study. Helicobacter pylori(H. pylori) infection was examined in all subjects. All gastric mucosa biopsy specimens were obtained. Cancer-adjacent specimens were taken from corresponding gastric cancer patients. Immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR were performed to determine the expressions of the GKN1 protein and m RNA, respectively.RESULTS: H. pylori infection had no significant association with age, gender, tumour site or pathological pattern in all subjects. Compared with the superficial gastritis and atrophic gastritis groups, the expression of GKN1 protein(P = 0.011) and m RNA(P < 0.001) in gastric cancer was significantly decreased. The GKN1 m RNA level in diffuse type gastric cancer was significantly lower than in intestinal type gastric cancer(0.296 ± 0.076 vs 0.525 ± 0.164, P < 0.001).CONCLUSION: Compared with almost normal gastric mucosa, GKN1 expression in the gastric mucosa of gastric cancer patients is decreased; this is associated with progression and prognosis of gastric cancer.