title: Detection of soluble tumor necrosis factor-p55 levels in the serum and ascitic fluid of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor-p55 (sTNFR-p55) levels in the serum and ascitic fluid and investigate the significance of this examination in assessment of the clinical status of patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to examine sTNFR-p55 levels in the serum and ascitic fluid in 25 patients with HCC and 25 with liver cirrhosis (LC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  sTNFR-p55 levels in the serum and ascitic fluid in patients with HCC were significantly higher than those in patients with LC and controls (P=0.001). No significant difference was found between LC and the control in terms of serum sTNFR-p55 levels (P=0.19). Positive correlation was observed between sTNFR-p55 levels in the serum and in ascitic fluid of patients with HCC and LC (r=1.000, P<0.001). Logistic regression revealed that in patients with HCC, serum sTNFR-p55 levels were positively correlated with TBil and AFP in the peripheral blood (r=0.524, P=0.01 and r=0.234, P=0.03, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased sTNFRs-p55 levels in the serum and ascitic fluid reflect abnormal immune status of the patients with HCC and help predict the development of tumor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, 157 Hospital of PLA, Guangzhou 510510, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Qing-Zhen
authors.initials: QZ
authors.lastname: Nan
authors.forename: Xi-Shan
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Han-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Zhuo-Sheng
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bo
authors.forename: Ya-Li
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zhen-Shu
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D001202:Ascitic Fluid / Q000737:chemistry*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I