Adenocarcinoma ; metabolism ; pathology ; Humans ; Stomach Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo analyze the clinicopathologic features and prognosis of α-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancers (AFPGC).

METHODSFifty-one serum AFP-positive patients with positive immunohistochemical staining of AFP in the primary lesions (study group) and sixty-five gastric cancer cases with normal AFP level (control group) treated in our department from January 2005 to December 2007 were included in this study. Their clinicopathologic features and follow-up data were statistically analyzed.

RESULTSCompared with the control group, the study group had a higher incidence of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (P=0.021) and liver metastasis (P=0.001) than that in the control group.The TNM stages in the study group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P=0.001). The 1-, 2-, and 5-year survival rates of the study group were 62.7%, 27.5% and 4.7%, respectively, and the median survival was 16 months, significantly lower than the 84.6%, 55.4%, 16.5%, and 30 months of the control group (P<0.001 for all). The serum AFP levels in the study group ranged from 58.63 µg/L to 12 100.00 µg/L, and could be classified into two groups:27 cases <500 µg/L, and 24 cases ≥500 µg/L. There was no significant difference of the immunohistochemical staining results between the two subgroups (P=0.912).

CONCLUSIONSAFPGC is a special type of gastric cancer with high degree of malignancy and poor prognosis. Monitoring of serum AFP level can earlier detect the progression of disease and give corresponding treatment.

Adenocarcinoma ; Humans ; Incidence ; Liver Neoplasms ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; pathology ; Survival Rate ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism

To clone the murine alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) gene, construct the eukaryotic expression vector of AFP and express in CHO cells, total RNA were extracted from Hepa 1-6 cells, and then the murine alpha-fetoprotein gene was amplified by RT-PCR and cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1. The recombinant of vector was identified by restriction enzyme analysis and sequencing. After transient transfection of CHO cells with the vector, Western blotting was used to detect the expression of AFP. It is concluded that the 1.8 kb murine alpha-fetoprotein gene was successfully cloned and its eukaryotic expression vector was successfully constructed.
CHO Cells ; Cloning, Molecular ; Cricetinae ; DNA, Complementary ; Eukaryotic Cells/metabolism ; Genetic Vectors ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transfection ; alpha-Fetoproteins/*biosynthesis ; alpha-Fetoproteins/genetics

A case of primary yolk sac tumor of endometrium was retrospectively analyzed and relevant literature was systematically reviewed. We found that the primary yolk sac tumor of endometrium showed low incidence rate and was clinically characterized by abnormal vaginal bleeding, intrauterine lesions and significantly elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level. The final diagnosis should be confirmed by pathological examination. There is no guideline for the treatment of primary yolk sac tumor of endometrium due to its rareness. For now, surgery and chemotherapy are the major therapies and the curative effect is satisfactory in some cases.
Endodermal Sinus Tumor ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Uterus ; pathology ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo explore the association of HBeAg positivity and alpha fetoprotein (AFP) level with the prognosis of chronic severe hepatitis B.

METHODSA total of 325 hospitalized patients with chronic severe hepatitis B were analyzed for serum HBeAg positivity and AFP levels and their association with the prognosis.

RESULTSOf all the 325 patients, 168 (51.7%) were HBeAg-positive and 157 (48.3%) were HBeAg-negative, and the two groups showed no significant difference in gender distribution, average peak value of total bilirubin and average trough prothrombin activity. Compared with the positive patients, the HBeAg-negative patients had significantly older age (P < 0.001), higher rate of liver cirrhosis (P < 0.001) and lower response rate (P < 0.05). Elevated AFP level was positively correlated to the response rate in both the HBeAg-positive (P < 0.001) and negative patients (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSHBeAg-negative patients with chronic severe hepatitis B have poorer prognosis than the HBeAg-positive patients, and higher AFP levels are associated with more favorable prognosis regardless of the HBeAg positivity.

Adult ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; metabolism ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism

Acute-On-Chronic Liver Failure ; blood ; pathology ; Case-Control Studies ; Cytochrome Reductases ; metabolism ; Humans ; Prospective Studies ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism

Objective: To study using isotope-labeled relative and absolute quantitative proteomics methodologies to screen for salivary biological markers as a simple, non-invasive tool for identifying hepatitis B-related HCC at an early stage. Methods: Saliva samples were collected to extract salivary proteins. Isotope-labeled relative and absolute quantitative proteomics were used to analyze the differentially expressed proteins between the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and non-HCC groups. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were used to verify differential proteins and identify markers in liver cancer tissues and saliva. Statistical analysis was used to analyze the diagnostic efficiency of salivary biomarkers. Results: 152 differentially expressed salivary proteins were screened out between the HCC and non-HCC groups. Western blot, immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays validated that the expressions of α-1-acid glycoprotein 1 (ORM1) and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) were significantly increased in HCC (P < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between salivary AFP and serum AFP (P < 0.05). HCC was diagnosed when salivary α-1-acid glycoprotein 1 combined with AFP. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.8726 (95% confidence interval: 0.8104 ~ 0.9347), the sensitivity was 78.3%, and the specificity was 88%. Conclusion: Salivary AFP and α-1-acid glycoprotein 1 can serve as potential biomarkers for hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism* ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; alpha-Fetoproteins/metabolism* ; Biomarkers ; Hepatitis B ; ROC Curve ; Glycoproteins ; Biomarkers, Tumor

Objective: To clarify the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging based on liver imaging reporting and data system (LI-RADS) for phosphatidylinositol proteoglycan-3 (GPC3) expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Clinical and pathological data of 95 HCC cases with positive GPC3 expression (+) and 40 HCC cases with negative GPC3 expression (-) were retrospectively analyzed, and their MRI image features based on the 2018 version of LI-RADS were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the main predictors of GPC3 expression. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used further to determine the diagnostic efficacy of combined clinical imaging model to predict GPC3 expression. Enumeration data were compared with χ² test or Fisher's exact test. Measurement data were compared using independent samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: There were statistically significant differences between HCC in GPC3 (+) and GPC3(-) group at alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels (χ²=31.814, P<0.000 1), and MRI features: capsular enhacement (χ²=4.108, P=0.043), halo type enhancement (χ²=4.847, P=0.028), and lesion apparent dispersion coefficient (ADC) (t=2.552, P=0.011 8). Multivariate regression analysis showed that AFP>20 μg/L (OR=9.358, P<0.000 1) and ADC≤1.404×10^-3 mm²/s (OR=1.003, P=0.017) were independent predictors for GPC3 expression in HCC. The combined model and the area under the curve value for the diagnosis of GPC3(+) in HCC was 0.810, and its diagnostic sensitivity and specificity were 76.8% and 77.5%, respectively. Conclusion: AFP>20 μg/L and ADC≤1.404×10^-3 mm²/s may indicate the expression of GPC3 in HCC, and the combination of the two diagnostic indicators can provide a simple and effective non-invasive diagnostic method for clinical practice.
Biomarkers, Tumor ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology* ; Glypicans/metabolism* ; Humans ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Phosphatidylinositols ; Retrospective Studies ; alpha-Fetoproteins/metabolism*

No abstract available.
Female ; Hemangioendothelioma/metabolism/*pathology/surgery ; Humans ; Infant ; Interferon-alpha/therapeutic use ; Liver Neoplasms/metabolism/*pathology/surgery ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; alpha-Fetoproteins/*analysis

OBJECTIVETo explore the mechanism of Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) effects on hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCC) resistances apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing-ligand (TRAIL).

METHODSThe expressed alteration of TRAIL receptor-2 (DR5) after the human hepatoma cells line Bel 7402 (AFP-producing) and HLE cells (non-AFP producing) were treated with all trans retinoic acid (ATRA) were determined by Western blot; Interaction of AFP with RAR-beta was analyzed by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP); Laser confocal microscopy was used to observe co-localization of AFP and RAR-beta; Short small RNA interfering (RNAi) was applied to knock down the expression of AFP in Bel 7402 cells; The full AFP gene cDNA was inserted into pcDNA3.1 vector and constructed the expressed vector of AFP (named pcDNA3.1-afp); The growth of hepatoma cells was analyzed by MTT.

RESULTSBel 7402 and HLE cells expressed DR5, lowed dosage of ATRA (40mumol/L) had no influence on the expression of DR5 in Bel 7402 cells, but ATRA (160mumol/L) could inhibit the expression of AFP and promote the expression of DR5 significantly; Co-IP indicated that AFP had a property for interacting with RAR-beta; The results also demonstrated AFP co-localization with RAR-beta in cytoplasm of Bel 7202 cells; The expression of DR5 was enhanced while the expression of AFP was knocked down by RNAi. pcDNA3.1-afp vector was transfected into HLE cells, the growth of HLE cells were stimulated and TRAIL cytotoxicity of HLE cells were reduced. But when the expression of AFP was knocked down the sensitivity of Bel 7402 cells to TRAIL was enhanced.

CONCLUSIONSThese data provided that AFP had a capability to interact with RAR-beta and suppressed the expression of DR5. AFP could play pivotal role on hepatoma cells resistance-induced apoptosis by TRAIL.

Apoptosis ; Cell Line, Tumor ; metabolism ; Humans ; Receptors, Retinoic Acid ; metabolism ; Receptors, TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand ; metabolism ; TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand ; metabolism ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology ; alpha-Fetoproteins ; metabolism