Serum heat shock protein 27 levels in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.
Levels of serum heat shock protein 27 (sHsp27) have been studied in numerous cancer types, but their potential relevance in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is undetermined. Our aim was to compare sHsp27 levels in patients with HCC and HCC-free controls. Specifically, we recruited 71 patients with HCC (80 % with early tumour), 80 patients with chronic liver disease (59 with liver cirrhosis and 21 with chronic active hepatitis) and 42 healthy subjects. sHsp27 was measured by immunoenzymatic assay. Results showed that sHsp27 levels were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in patients with HCC than in the other groups, particularly in those with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related disease. In HCC patients, sHsp27 levels were not associated with prognostic risk factors, such as size/multiplicity of nodules and stage. In logistic regression analysis, performed in patients with liver disease, log-sHsp27 was associated with a significant age-adjusted 2.5-fold increased odds ratio of HCC and with a significant 4.4-fold higher odds ratio of HCC in the subgroup with HCV-related liver disease. In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, sensitivity and specificity of the best sHsp27 cut-off value (456.5 pg/ml) for differentiating patients with HCC from those with HCC-free chronic liver disease were 70 and 73 %, respectively. In conclusion, sHsp27 levels are enhanced in patients with HCC and may represent a candidate biomarker of HCC.
Department of Medical Science, University of Turin, C/so AM Dogliotti 14, 10126 Turin, Italy. gabriella.gruden@unito.it
Gabriella
G
Gruden
Patrizia
P
Carucci
Valentina
V
Lolli
Loretta
L
Cosso
Erika
E
Dellavalle
Emanuela
E
Rolle
Alessandro
A
Cantamessa
Silvia
S
Pinach
Maria Lorena
ML
Abate
Donata
D
Campra
Franco
F
Brunello
Graziella
G
Bruno
Mario
M
Rizzetto
Paolo Cavallo
PC
Perin
D000368:Aged; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D011516:Prothrombin; D012372:ROC Curve; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; C059800:prothrombin (des 1-44); D011516:Prothrombin