title: DLK1, a serum marker for hepatoblastoma in young infants.
abstract: Hepatoblastoma is a malignant pediatric liver tumor. The currently used diagnostic serum marker for hepatoblastoma, α-fetoprotein (AFP), is not always reliable in infants with hepatoblastoma, due to the physiologically elevated levels of AFP in this age group. In this report, we show that Delta-like 1 homolog (DLK1), a protein highly expressed during fetal development, but almost completely absent after birth, and an established liver-stem cell marker, is a new candidate serum marker of hepatoblastoma, especially in young infants.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Surgical Center of Amsterdam, Emma Children's Hospital AMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Farah A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Falix
authors.forename: Daniel C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Aronson
authors.forename: Wouter H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lamers
authors.forename: Johan K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Hiralall
authors.forename: Jurgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Seppen
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018197:Hepatoblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; C512941:DLK1 protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins