Gut Liver.  2014 Sep;8(5):536-542. 10.5009/gnl13331.

Expression Characteristics of KAI1 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Their Diagnostic Value for Hepatocellular Carcinoma

• Zhang W
• Zhao CG
• Sun HY
• Zheng WE
• Chen H

• KMID: 2070064
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5009/gnl13331

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
We tried to investigate the expression characteristics of KAI1, a suppressor of wide-spectrum tumor metastasis, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), the most common angiogenesis factor, and then to analyze their diagnostic value for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
METHODS
The protein and mRNA expression levels of KAI1 or VEGF in HCC tissues and in self-controlled para-carcinoma tissues were analyzed by Western blot and real-time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Serum levels of KAI1 and VEGF in the patients with HCC, benign liver disease or in healthy controls were quantitatively detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
RESULTS
The expression level of KAI1 was downregulated, while the expression level of VEGF was upregulated in the tissues or serum of the patients with HCC. The expression level of serum KAI1 in HCC patients was correlated with TNM staging, intrahepatic metastasis, lymph node or peritoneal metastasis, and portal vein thrombus. In addition to the factors that were correlated with KAI1 expression, VEGF expression was also closely related to the alpha-fetoprotein level of the patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for the diagnosis of HCC was 0.907 for KAI1 and 0.779 for VEGF. The sensitivity of serum KAI1 levels in the diagnosis of HCC was 86.96%; the accuracy was 83.06%, while the sensitivity, the accuracy and the negative predictive value were improved to 91.86%, 84.68%, and 78.79% according to the combined detection of KAI1 and VEGF, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
A combined detection of KAI1 and VEGF may greatly improve the efficiency of diagnosis and form a reliable panel of diagnostic markers for HCC.

Keyword

KAI1; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Clinicopathological characteristics; Diagnostic value

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Antigens, CD82/blood/genetics/*metabolism
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/blood/*diagnosis/genetics
Case-Control Studies
Female
Gene Expression Regulation
Humans
Liver Diseases/genetics
Liver Neoplasms/blood/*diagnosis/genetics
Male
Middle Aged
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/blood/genetics/*metabolism
alpha-Fetoproteins/analysis
Antigens, CD82
Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A
alpha-Fetoproteins