title: Serum secreted frizzled-related protein 5 levels differentially decrease in patients with hepatitis B virus-associated chronic infection and hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics of serum secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5), an inhibitor of Wnt signaling, in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated infections and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Serum SFRP5 levels were detected in 147 patients with HBV-associated chronic infection or HCC. Compared with the non-HBV-infected and non-HCC group, the HBV-associated chronic infection and HCC groups exhibited decreased serum SFRP5 levels. A significant inverse correlation between serum SFRP5 levels and HBV DNA levels was identified in the HBV-associated chronic infection and HCC groups. Furthermore, SFRP5 levels differentially decreased in patients with HBV-associated diseases, in a manner which was dependent on liver disease status. Compared with patients exhibiting HBV-associated chronic infection, patients with HCC were found to exhibit lower serum SFRP5 levels. The results of the present study indicated that patients with HBV-associated liver infection and HCC exhibited significantly deceased serum SFRP5 levels, which were found to negatively correlate with HBV DNA levels. Serum SFRP5 levels may present a biomarker for the severity of HBV-associated liver infection, and the risk of HCC initiation and progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Chuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Lipid and Glucose Metabolism, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqiu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health and Management, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jibin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: Wnt signaling; hepatitis B virus; hepatitis B virus DNA; hepatocellular carcinoma; secreted frizzled-related protein 5