PAI-1, t-PA and circulating hTERT DNA as related to virus infection in liver carcinogenesis.
BACKGROUND
Liver carcinogenesis seems to be heavely influenced by hepatitis B and C viral (HBV, HCV) infection. The aim of our study was to improve the detection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by measuring alfa-fetoprotein (AFP) in addition to other molecular markers by estimating the plasma levels of human catalytic fraction of reverse telomerase (hTERT) DNA, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) in 75 patients with liver desease.


METHODS
A control group was enrolled (N=30). PAI-1 and t-PA levels were detected with enzyme-linked immunoassorbent assay (ELISA), DNA hTERT was performed with real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
PAI-1, t-PA and hTERT DNA levels were much higher than in controls. PAI-1 and t-PA levels were higher in the presence of both viruses compared to their absence, p<0.001. Moreover, hTERT was significantly higher in the presence of both viruses, p<0.05 and in the presence of HCV alone, p<0.05. No decrease or increase of AFP was noted in these patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest the reliability of PAI-1, t-PA and hTERT in detecting HCC, in particular when the carcinogenesis is affected by virus infection.
Divella
Rosa
R
Chemical-Clinical Microbiology and Immunology Laboratory Unit, Giovanni Paolo II, National Cancer Institute, Bari, Italy. rosadive@inwind.it
Lacalamita
Rosanna
R
Tommasi
Stefania
S
Coviello
Maria
M
Daniele
Antonella
A
Garrisi
Vito Michele
VM
Abbate
Ines
I
Simone
Giovanni
G
Gadaleta
Cosimo
C
Paradiso
Angelo
A
Quaranta
Michele
M
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000097:blood*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000097:blood*; D019098:Telomerase / Q000235:genetics*; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator / Q000097:blood*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000378:metabolism
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; C051321:SERPINE1 protein, human; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C509186:TERT protein, human; D019098:Telomerase; D010959:Tissue Plasminogen Activator