Multiplexed Proteomic Approach for Identification of Serum Biomarkers in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients with Normal AFP

Proteome Multimarker Panel for the Early Detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Multicenter Derivation, Validation, and Comparison

Conventional methods for the surveillance of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by imaging, with and without serum tumor markers, are suboptimal with regard to accuracy. We aimed to develop and validate a reliable serum biomarker panel for the early detection of HCC using a proteomic technique. This multicenter case-control study comprised 727 patients with HCC and patients with risk factors but no HCC. We developed a multiple reaction monitoring-mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) multimarker panel using 17 proteins from the sera of 398 patients. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC) values of this MRM-MS panel with and without α-fetoprotein (AFP) and protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) were compared. The combination and standalone MRM-MS panels had higher AUROC values than AFP in the training (0.940 and 0.929 vs 0.775, both P < 0.05), test (0.894 and 0.893 vs 0.593, both P < 0.05), and confirmation sets (0.961 and 0.937 vs 0.806, both P < 0.05) in detecting small single HCC. The combination and standalone MRM-MS panels had significantly higher AUROC values than the GALAD score (0.945 and 0.931 vs 0.829, both P < 0.05). Our proteome 17-protein multimarker panel distinguished HCC patients from high-risk controls and had high accuracy in the early detection of HCC.

Advances in High Throughput Proteomics Profiling in Establishing Potential Biomarkers for Gastrointestinal Cancer

Gastrointestinal cancers (GICs) remain the most diagnosed cancers and accounted for the highest cancer-related death globally. The prognosis and treatment outcomes of many GICs are poor because most of the cases are diagnosed in advanced metastatic stages. This is primarily attributed to the deficiency of effective and reliable early diagnostic biomarkers. The existing biomarkers for GICs diagnosis exhibited inadequate specificity and sensitivity. To improve the early diagnosis of GICs, biomarkers with higher specificity and sensitivity are warranted. Proteomics study and its functional analysis focus on elucidating physiological and biological functions of unknown or annotated proteins and deciphering cellular mechanisms at molecular levels. In addition, quantitative analysis of translational proteomics is a promising approach in enhancing the early identification and proper management of GICs. In this review, we focus on the advances in mass spectrometry along with the quantitative and functional analysis of proteomics data that contributes to the establishment of biomarkers for GICs including, colorectal, gastric, hepatocellular, pancreatic, and esophageal cancer. We also discuss the future challenges in the validation of proteomics-based biomarkers for their translation into clinics.

Clinical Value and Underlying Mechanisms of Upregulated LINC00485 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Aims

This study aimed to reveal the functional role of LINC00485 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials & Methods

210 serum samples from Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University were employed to evaluate clinical value of LINC00485. Bioinformatics analysis was adopted to explore its potential mechanisms.

Results

LINC00485 was confirmed to be upregulated in HCC tissues and serum samples. Survival analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve revealed its prognostic and diagnostic roles. The combination of serum LINC00485 with AFP can remarkably improve diagnostic ability of HCC. Exploration of the underlying mechanism demonstrated that LINC00485 might exert pro-oncogenic activity by LINC00485—three miRNAs—four mRNAs network.

Conclusions

Our study unveiled that upregulated LINC00485 could act as a potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarker and provide a novel insight into the molecular mechanisms of LINC00485 in HCC pathogenesis.