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Plasma minichromosome maintenance complex component 6 is a novel biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma patients
Author(s) -
Zheng Tenghao,
Chen Ming,
Han Shuangyin,
Zhang Lida,
Bai Yangqiu,
Fang Xinhui,
Ding SongZe,
Yang Yuxiu
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
hepatology research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.123
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 1872-034X
pISSN - 1386-6346
DOI - 10.1111/hepr.12303
Subject(s) - hepatocellular carcinoma , medicine , minichromosome maintenance , carcinoma , oncology , cancer research , cancer , cell cycle , control of chromosome duplication
Aim This study aimed to investigate the presence of plasma minichromosome maintenance complex component 6 ( MCM6 ) mRNA and protein levels in hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) patients and evaluate their diagnostic value for HCC . Methods Blood samples were collected from 61 HCC and 29 cirrhotic patients, and 30 healthy individuals. Circulating RNA was extracted from plasma of all samples. The mRNA for MCM6 were amplified and quantified by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. Plasma MCM6 and α‐fetoprotein ( AFP ) protein levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Results In HCC patients, MCM6 mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased over the cirrhotic and healthy controls. The levels of MCM6 mRNA and protein in the plasma of HCC patients correlated to vascular invasion ( P < 0.01). Higher MCM6 protein levels also correlated with tumor stage progression and lymph node metastasis. The MCM6 protein has sensitivity of 67.2% and specificity of 89.8% in differentiating total HCC from non‐ HCC individuals. In the AFP negative HCC group, MCM6 mRNA and protein could both detect 76.9% of HCC patients; combining the two of them increased the detection rate to 84.6%. In small HCC patients, MCM6 mRNA and protein could detect 64.3% and 71.4% of patients, respectively; combining AFP , MCM6 mRNA and MCM6 protein could detect 85.7% of small HCC patients. Conclusion Our results suggest that MCM6 mRNA and protein levels in plasma can be promising independent biomarkers for HCC , especially in AFP negative and small HCC patients.