The value of serum GPDA-F for the diagnosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the role of glycylproline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase isoenzymes in the diagnosis of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC).

METHODS:

We developed a stage gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis system to separate serum GPDA isoenzymes. Total GPDA activities, alpha-fetoprotein, the sizes of tumors and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activities were also measured simultaneously and the correlation between GPDA-F and these indices was analyzed.

RESULTS:

Serum GPDA was separated into two bands, namely fast band (GPDA-F) and slow band (GPDA-S). GPDA-F was negative in all healthy persons as well as in the patients with benign liver filling defects, while it was positive in 85.3% cases of PHC. Liver cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, extrahepatic carcinoma and metastatic liver carcinoma had low positive rates. GPDA-F was positively correlated with serum total GPDA activities, but had no correlation with AFP and size of the tumors. There was the correlation between GPDA-F and ALT in benign liver diseases, but no correlation between GPDA-F and ALT in PHC. Serial measurements of serum GPDA-F showed that GPDA-F was persistently positive in PHC but might change into negative in benign liver diseases. Dynamic determination of GPDA-F might be helpful to differentiate true positive of PHC from false positive of benign liver diseases.

CONCLUSION:

GPDA-F is a new serum marker of PHC. Measurement of serum GPDA-F is of value for the diagnosis of PHC, especially for those at early stage or with negative AFP.

• Authors: M Li, R Ni, J Huang, M Xiao, H Zhang, Q Wei, F Jiang, X Meng
• Journal: Zhonghua gan zang bing za zhi = Zhonghua ganzangbing zazhi = Chinese journal of hepatology (Zhonghua Gan Zang Bing Za Zhi) Vol. 8 Issue 3 Pg. 139-41 (Jun 2000) ISSN: 1007-3418 [Print] China
• PMID: 10880158 (Publication Type: English Abstract, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Isoenzymes
• Alanine Transaminase
• Aminopeptidases
• glycylproline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase

Topics

• Alanine Transaminase (blood)
• Aminopeptidases (blood)
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (diagnosis, enzymology)
• Humans
• Isoenzymes (blood)
• Liver Neoplasms (diagnosis, enzymology)