TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR β1 AND SOLUBLE FAS SERUM LEVELS IN HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA

Abstract

In this study we assessed the usefulness of serum Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and soluble Fas (sFas) in distinguishing liver cirrhosis (LC) with and without hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as compared with alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). Serum TGF-β1 and sFas levels were measured by ELISA in 51 LC patients, 54 patients with HCC and 30 healthy donors. Considering as a cut-off limit (mean+1SD of controls) 74pg/ml and 637pg/ml for TGF-β1 and sFas, respectively, we computed serum concentrations of TGF-β1 and sFas as a score (mean±SD). The positive frequency of serum TGF-β1 levels in HCC patients (54%) was greater than in LC patients (26%) and healthy donors (3%). TGF-β1 levels were higher in HCC (1.6±0.5) than in LC (1.1±0.2) (P<0.0001) and healthy donors (0.6±0.2). Using a cut-off limit of 82pg/ml (mean+2SD), the positive frequency of TGF-β1 was 20% in HCC patients. None of the controls and LC patients had TGF-β1 levels higher than 82pg/ml. The positive frequency of serum sFas levels was 100% in HCC patients, 98% in LC patients and 3% in healthy controls. Serum sFas levels were higher in HCC (2.5±0.7) than in LC (1.9±0.5) (P<0.001) and healthy donors (0.6±0.3). No significant change of positive frequency was obtained by setting sFas cut-off at higher levels. sFas values did not correlate with TGF-β1 levels. No relationship was found between TGF-β1 amounts and AFP levels. However, in the 23% of HCC patients, with normal AFP values TGF-β1 levels were higher than the cut off. These findings suggest the potential usefulness for TGF-β1 assay in AFP-negative HCC.