title: Influence of vascular endothelial growth factor and alpha-fetoprotein on hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: We evaluated the influence of the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) -C936T polymorphism on prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), cirrhosis, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Serum VEGF and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were determined and used to characterize sensitivity and specificity. A total of 285 subjects were studied: 68 HCC, 118 cirrhosis, 43 HCV, and 56 healthy controls. Prevalence of the VEGF -C936T polymorphism and serum levels of VEGF and AFP were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The genotype CC (frequencies between 63.24 and 76.79%; P > 0.05) and the C allele (absolute frequencies from 0.816 to 0.884, P > 0.05) were prevalent in all groups. Higher VEGF levels in HCC patients (588.0 ± 501.0 pg/mL) were observed, particularly in patients with the T allele in VEGF -C936T (764.4 ± 571.7 pg/mL) compared to those in the other groups (P < 0.05). The same trend occurred with AFP levels (HCC = 8.522 ± 23.830; cirrhosis = 12.7 ± 59.3; HCV = 4.6 ± 4.7; control = 2.7 ± 1.8 ng/mL; P = 0.005). Levels of VEGF and AFP showed sensitivity of 65 and 28% and specificity of 85 and 99%, respectively, for HCC patients. In conclusion, the VEGF -C936T polymorphism is not associated with HCC but the mutant allele (T) increases VEGF levels in HCC patients. VEGF could be a potential biomarker for HCC, while AFP could be used to distinguish between patients with HCC and cirrhosis or HCV.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.|Núcleo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: E Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Yvamoto
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: M A S
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pinhe
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Tenani
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.|Núcleo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: J G S C
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: M E L
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Baitello
authors.affiliation: Núcleo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.|Universidade de Franca, Franca, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Gregório
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.|Unidade de Hepatologia, Hospital de Base, FUNFARME/Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Fucuta
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.|Unidade de Hepatologia, Hospital de Base, FUNFARME/Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.|Núcleo de Pesquisa em Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: D R S
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.|Unidade de Hepatologia, Hospital de Base, FUNFARME/Faculdade de Medicina de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil.
authors.forename: R C M A
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011379:Prognosis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins