Wisteria floribunda agglutinin positive human Mac-2-binding protein as a predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma development in chronic hepatitis C patients.

Abstract

AIMS:

Wisteria floribunda agglutinin (WFA)-positive human Mac-2-binding protein (WFA(+) -M2BP) is a new glycol marker related to liver fibrosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate WFA(+) -M2BP as a predictor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

METHODS:

This case-control study included 14 patients with chronic hepatitis C who developed HCC and 52controls, matched for age, gender, and fibrosis stage. WFA(+) -M2BP was measured at biopsy and follow-up. Time zero was set at the date of liver biopsy.

RESULTS:

WFA(+) -M2BP increased stepwise with progression of liver fibrosis (p < 0.001). Cumulative incidence of HCC development was significantly higher in patients with WFA(+) -M2BP ≥4.2 (p < 0.001) or in those with time-course changes in WFA(+) -M2BP (ΔWFA(+) -M2BP/year) ≥0.3 (p = 0.03). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that WFA(+) -M2BP ≥4.2 [hazard ratio (HR): 4.1, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1-15, p = 0.04], ΔWFA(+) -M2BP/year ≥0.3 (HR: 5.5, 95% CI: 1.5-19, p = 0.008), and AFP ≥10 ng/ml (HR: 4.7, 95% CI: 1.1-19, p = 0.03) were independent predictive factors of HCC development. Based on these data, we developed a simple scoring system to predict HCC development using these three factors. Using these scores, patients were classified into four groups; cumulative incidence of HCC development significantly increased with increasing scores (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS:

WFA(+) -M2BP measurements and time-course changes in WFA(+) -M2BP can be used to identify patients at high risk of HCC development. Real-time monitoring of WFA(+) -M2BP can be a novel predictor of HCC development.

• Authors: Nobuharu Tamaki, Masayuki Kurosaki, Atsushi Kuno, Masaaki Korenaga, Akira Togayachi, Masanori Gotoh, Natsuko Nakakuki, Hitomi Takada, Shuya Matsuda, Nobuhiro Hattori, Yutaka Yasui, Shoko Suzuki, Takanori Hosokawa, Kaoru Tsuchiya, Hiroyuki Nakanishi, Jun Itakura, Yuka Takahashi, Masashi Mizokami, Hisashi Narimatsu, Namiki Izumi
• Journal: Hepatology research : the official journal of the Japan Society of Hepatology (Hepatol Res) Vol. 45 Issue 10 Pg. E82-8 (Oct 2015) ISSN: 1386-6346 [Print] Netherlands
• PMID: 25559682 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2015 The Japan Society of Hepatology.