Plasma Osteopontin Level in Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract

BackgroundOsteopontin (OPN) is a secreted glycoprotein and is frequently associated with various tumors.ObjectivesWe sought to investigate the clinical usefulness of the level of plasma OPN, compared to α-fetoprotein (AFP), as a biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and to evaluate its diagnostic value in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its relationship with clinical and laboratory features of HCC and NAFLD.Patients and MethodsThe study was performed on 120 subjects classified into 5 groups: Group I included 25 chronic non-cirrhotic hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients; Group II encompassed 25 patients with chronic HCV infection with liver cirrhosis; Group III comprised 25 patients with chronic HCV with liver cirrhosis and HCC; Group IV was comprised of 25 patients with NAFLD; and Group V consisted of 20 healthy age- and sex-matched controls. All the participants were subjected to history taking and clinical and abdominal ultrasonographic examinations as well as the following laboratory investigations: liver function tests, complete blood count, blood sugar, hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis C virus antibodies, HCV-RNA by qualitative polymerase chain reaction (for Groups I, II, and III) and serum AFP and plasma OPN levels.ResultsThere were statistically significant differences in plasma OPN levels between the HCC group (401 ± 72 ng/mL) and the other groups, between the cirrhotic group (258.3 ± 35 ng/mL) and the non-cirrhotic group (HCV group, 168.7 ± 41 ng/mL; fatty liver group, 106.7 ± 35 ng/mL), and between the chronic non-cirrhotic HCV group and the fatty liver group (I and IV) and the controls (35.1 ± 6 ng/mL). In the HCC group, the diagnostic value of OPN was comparable to that of AFP at a cutoff value of 280 ng/mL, achieving sensitivity, specificity, and overall accuracy of 100%, 98%, and 96%, respectively. Regarding the validity of plasma OPN as a predictor of fatty change, our results revealed a diagnostic accuracy of 50% with 70% sensitivity, 45% specificity, 50% positive predictive value, and 75% negative predictive value at a cutoff value of 134 ng/mL.ConclusionsPlasma OPN is comparable to AFP as a diagnostic marker and is related to the severity of liver involvement in HCC patients. Plasma OPN is of diagnostic potential value in NAFLD.

Significance of biglycan and osteopontin as non-invasive markers of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus and chronic hepatitis C virus

“…OPN level increased markedly as the degree of fibrosis increased either in the CHB group or in the CHC group (p<0.001). Our results are consistent with the results of Zhao et al ,22 Matsue et al ,23 and Fouad et al 24. A positive correlation was found between fibrosis stages and serum OPN level in patients with CHB (r=0.63; p<0.001) and its level in the CHC group (r=0.59; p<0.03).…”

“…Our results matched the results of Zhao et al ,22 Matsue et al ,23 and Fouad et al 24. OPN level increased markedly as the degree of fibrosis increased either in the CHB group or in the CHC group (p<0.001).…”

Role of annexin A2 and osteopontin for early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis C virus patients

“…In our study there were statistically significant differences in AST, GGT, serum bilirubin (total and direct), international normalized ratio, and serum albumin levels between the HCC group and the chronic hepatitis C group, all these parameters were higher in the HCC group than the chronic hepatitis C group which is in agreement with the results by Fuoad et al who explained this difference by the progression of the underlying liver cirrhosis caused by HCC with a subsequent decreased albumin and protein synthesis and poor utilization of vitamin K in advanced parenchymal liver disease [15].…”

Molecular diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma: trends in biomarkers combination to enhance early cancer detection

“…A meta-analysis on 12 published studies showed that the sensitivity in HCC diagnosis was higher than that of AFP (OPN, 0.813; AFP, 0.639) [127] . Plasma OPN could be used to differentiate HCC from other nonmalignant liver diseases including chronic hepatitis C, cirrhosis, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease [128] . Importantly,serum OPN was associated with dismal overall survivals of patients with HCC with a hazard ratio of 2.38 [129] .…”