Role of Golgi protein 73(GP73) as a marker for Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and represents the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. HCC is particularly prevalent in Asia and Africa .

Primary liver cancer is the sixth most common cancer in the world.Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents more than90% of primary liver cancers and generally occurs in patients with underlying chronic liver disease.

The main aim of this study is to evaluate the role of Golgi protein 73 (GP73) as a serum marker for detection of HCC in relation to the standard marker Alpha –fetoprotein (AFP).

This study was conducted on 90 patients in the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Ain Shams University Hospitals and Nasser Institute for research and treatment, all patients were selected from the inpatient department during the period from December 2013 to December 2014 divided into two groups Group I: Included 45 patients with liver cirrhosis due to HCV infection.

Group II: Included 45 patients with Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) on top of HCV cirrhosis proved by Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), Abdominal ultrasonography, Tri phasic CT abdomen.

All patients subjected to full history taking, clinical examination and laboratory investigations (CBC, liver and kidney profile, AFP and Gp73 level).

It was found that HCC commonly presented in males with a male to female ratio 2.75:1 and the mean age was 60.8+8.7 years with a range between 48-89 years old.

In this study, conventional tests of hepatic function such as liver enzymes (ALT, AST, serum bilirubin, albumin and INR do not distinguish HCC from cirrhosis.

Abdominal ultrasonography done in this study showed that 46.7% of patients with HCC had sonographic evidence of liver cirrhosis and 8.9% had portal vein thrombosis.

ROC analysis of AFP with cutoff value 40 ng/ml used as a diagnostic test suggests that its its sensitivity is 51.1% and the specificity is 97.8%.

Golgi protein 73 (GP73; also named Golgi phosphoprotein 2 (GOLPH2)), is a potential novel HCC serum marker.GP73 is a 400 amino acid, 73 kDa transmembrane glycoprotein that normally resides within the cis-Golgi complex. Its mRNA was first identified in a search for upregulated hepatic genes in a patient with syncytial giant cell hepatitis. Although upregulated GP73 was initially identified in hepatic viral infections with unknown function, it can be excreted after modification.