Clinical significance of p53 antigen and anti-p53 antibodies in the sera of hepatocellular carcinoma patients.
BACKGROUND
To analyze the clinical significance of serum p53 protein and anti-p53 antibodies as serological markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).


METHODS
We studied clinical data, i.e., age, sex, etiology, serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level. TMN staging, and Okuda staging in 141 patients with HCC. The sera of these patients were analyzed for serum p53 protein and serum anti-p53 antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).


RESULTS
Serum p53 antigen and serum anti-p53 antibodies were detected in the sera of 32 of the 141 (22.7%) patients and 26 of the 141 patients (18.4%), respectively. Of note, the HCC patients who were positive for p53 antigen (32/141) had no circulating anti-p53 antibodies. When both these groups of patients were combined as a serum p53 status-positive group, the total number in this group was 58 (41.1 %). Positive status of p53 was not associated with age (P = 0.206), serum alpha-fetoprotein level (P = 0.851). Okuda staging (P = 0.243), or survival (P = 0.078), but was correlated significantly with TMN staging (P = 0.049). Interestingly, a shorter survival time (mean, 3.9 months) was noted in the serum p53 status-positive group. in comparison with the longer survival time (mean, 6.5 months) in the serum p53 status-negative group.


CONCLUSIONS
Combination of the detection of serum p53 antigen and antibodies by ELISA may represent a suitable noninvasive investigation in assessing the clinical implications and prognoses of patients with HCC.
Charuruks
N
N
Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University and Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand.
Tangkijvanich
P
P
Voravud
N
N
Chatsantikul
R
R
Theamboonlers
A
A
Poovorawan
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012737:Sex Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D000906:Antibodies; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins