Elevated serum levels of Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive human Mac-2 binding protein predict the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C patients

Hepatology. 2014 Nov;60(5):1563-70. doi: 10.1002/hep.27305. Epub 2014 Oct 2.

Abstract

The Wisteria floribunda agglutinin-positive human Mac-2-binding protein (WFA+-M2BP) was recently shown to be a liver fibrosis glycobiomarker with a unique fibrosis-related glycoalteration. We evaluated the ability of WFA+-M2BP to predict the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who were infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV). A total of 707 patients who had been admitted to our hospital with chronic HCV infection without other potential risk factors were evaluated to determine the ability of WFA+-M2BP to predict the development of HCC; factors evaluated included age, sex, viral load, genotypes, fibrosis stage, aspartate and alanine aminotransferase levels, bilirubin, albumin, platelet count, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), WFA+-M2BP, and the response to interferon (IFN) therapy. Serum WFA+-M2BP levels were significantly increased according to the progression of liver fibrosis stage (P<0.001). In each distinctive stage of fibrosis (F0-F1, F2, F3, and F4), the risk of development of HCC was increased according to the elevation of WFA+-M2BP. Multivariate analysis identified age>57 years, F4, AFP>20 ng/mL, WFA+-M2BP ≥4, and WFA+-M2BP 1-4 as well as the response to IFN (no therapy vs. sustained virological response) as independent risk factors for the development of HCC. The time-dependent areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve demonstrated that the WFA+-M2BP assay predicted the development of HCC with higher diagnostic accuracy than AFP.

Conclusion: WFA+-M2BP can be applied as a useful surrogate marker for the risk of HCC development, in addition to liver biopsy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / immunology*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / blood*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / blood*
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / virology
  • Female
  • Hepatitis C / complications
  • Humans
  • Liver Cirrhosis / complications
  • Liver Cirrhosis / virology
  • Liver Neoplasms / blood*
  • Liver Neoplasms / virology
  • Male
  • Membrane Glycoproteins / immunology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Plant Lectins*
  • Receptors, N-Acetylglucosamine
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Young Adult
  • alpha-Fetoproteins / metabolism

Substances

  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Membrane Glycoproteins
  • Plant Lectins
  • Receptors, N-Acetylglucosamine
  • TAA90K protein, human
  • alpha-Fetoproteins
  • wisteria lectin