Detection Of Alpha Fetoprotein In Serum Research Articles

A photoelectrochemical platform constructed with C-doped ZnIn2S4 /Bi2S3: Excellent for the visual detection of tumor marker

A photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor based on a novel composite material was proposed for the highly sensitive and selective detection of Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP). C-doped ZnIn2S4/Bi2S3 (ZnIn2S4/Bi2S3/C) nanocomposites were synthesized in one pan by solvothermal method using glucose as carbon precursor and used as photoanode. ZnIn2S4/Bi2S3 displayed efficient visible light utilization and carrier separation efficiency. In addition, the high electrical conductivity of carbon materials also allowed ZnIn2S4/Bi2S3/C to show stronger photocurrent compared to ZnIn2S4/Bi2S3. The PEC sensor was successfully prepared in combination with a selective AFP antibody. The photocurrent decreased with the increase of AFP concentration in the range of 0.001–1000 ng mL−1, with a calculated detection limit of 0.12 ng mL−1. Besides, in order to eliminate the workstation's limitations, a colorimetric device that can display AFP levels nearly simultaneously was constructed by modifying Prussian blue on another FTO electrode and connecting the two electrodes by wires. This work provided a new approach for the instant detection of AFP in serum by developing a visualization device for rapid screening and identification of AFP by introducing the electrochromic principle and integrating the device from the viewpoint of improving the practicality of the sensing method.

A graphene-assisted electrochemical sensor for detection of alpha-fetoprotein in serum

Alpha fetoprotein (AFP) is a specific tumor marker for the diagnosis of primary liver cancer. In this work, a molecularly imprinted (MIP) electrochemical sensor for AFP was prepared by surface imprinting method. The MIP electrochemical biosensor uses polysulfide cordial and graphene-gold composite as electrode modified nanomaterials to effectively enhance the detection of electrical signals. Dopamine (DA) is the functional monomer and the PDA-AFP complex is obtained by electropolymerization. The eluent elutes the functional monomer and the specific cavity formed can adsorb the target molecule. Under optimal experimental conditions, differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was used for detection. The current of the prepared biosensor decreases with increasing AFP concentration. The peak current value of DPV assay showed good linearity with the logarithm of AFP concentration in the range of 0.01 ng/mL-1000 ng/mL. The detection limit can reach 3.7 pg/mL.

A love-mode surface acoustic wave aptasensor with dummy fingers based on monolayer MoS2/Au NPs nanocomposites for alpha-fetoprotein detection.

The detection of cancer markers still has shortages of low sensitivity, time-consuming operation, the use of unstable and expensive antibodies. In this work, a novel Love-mode surface acoustic wave (LSAW) aptasensor with dummy fingers based on the monolayer molybdenum disulfide/gold nanoparticles (monolayer MoS2/Au NPs) was developed for the highly sensitive and rapid determination of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) in serum. Interdigital electrodes (IDTs) with dummy fingers were designed and applied to improve the acoustic characteristic of the LSAW aptasensor. The less energy dissipation and wave-front distortion of the LSAW aptasensor were confirmed by COMSOL simulation and test results. The newly-developed sensing film monolayer MoS2/Au NPs/Apt/6-mercaptohexanol (MCH) was applied for the specific detection of AFP and significantly improved the sensitivity of the LSAW aptasensor. The excellent performance of the LSAW aptasensor allowed the sensitive and rapid detection of AFP in serum in the range of 0.01 ⁓ 100ng/mL with a low detection limit of 4.79pg/mL. Additionally, the proposed LSAW aptasensor exhibited excellent selectivity, long-term stability, and reproducibility, and could be used to detect other cancer biomarkers.

Conjugated polymer sensitized hyperbranched titanium dioxide based photoelectrochemical biosensor for detecting AFP in serum

Alpha fetoprotein(AFP) is an important tumor biomarker associated with some diseases, and its accurate determination is very important for clinical detection. In this paper, a novel conjugated polymer(CP) containing multi-carboxylic group was synthesized and used to fabricate photoelectrochemical biosensor based on CP sensitized hyperbranched titanium dioxide for detection of AFP in serum. The prepared materials were characterized by FT-IR, IR, NMR and UV-Vis, respectively. The absorption wavelength of the hyperbranched titanium dioxide shifted from ultraviolet region(365nm) to visible region(395nm) after modified with CP compound. Which is conducive to broaden the application of titanium dioxide in biomedicine field due to reducing protein denaturation. The results showed that the photoelectrochemical biosensor has a good linear range from 0.1 ng•mL−1 to 1.0×102 ng•mL−1 with detection limit of 0.03 ng•mL−1(S/N=3). The proposed biosensor exhibited the good selectivity, stability and high sensitivity for detecting AFP in serum. This strategy is expected to be used to detect AFP in clinical serum.

Analysis of liver cancer screening results and influencing factors of urban residents in Zhejiang Province from 2013 to 2018

Objective: To analyze the results of liver cancer screening for urban residents in Zhejiang Province from 2013 to 2018 and explore the influencing factors of the detection rate. Methods: From September 2013 to August 2019, six urban communities in Hangzhou (Jianggan District and Gongshu District), Ningbo (Haishu District, Yinzhou District and Jiangbei District), and Quzhou (Kecheng District) were selected as study sites. All permanent residents aged 40-74 (with local household registration and living in the local area for more than 3 years) were selected as the research subjects by using cluster sampling method. Patients with confirmed cancers and other serious medical and surgical diseases were excluded. A total of 166 293 research subjects were included. Basic demographic characteristics and risk factors of subjects were obtained through questionnaire surveys. The cancer risk assessment system was used to evaluate the liver cancer risk of subjects. Clinical screening participation and screening results for subjects at high risk of liver cancer were obtained from participating hospitals. The high-risk rate of liver cancer, clinical screening rate, detection rate of positive lesions, and detection rate of suspected liver cancer were analyzed. Poisson regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of detection rate. Results: The age of 166 293 subjects was (56.01±8.40) years, of which 41.36% (68 777) were males. A total of 23 765 high-risk subjects for liver cancer were screened (the high-risk rate was 14.29%). Among them, a total of 12 375 subjects participated in clinical screening for liver cancer, with a screening rate of 52.07% (12 375/23 765). A total of 297 cases of positive lesions were detected and the detection rate was 2.40% (297/12 375). A total of 8 cases of suspected liver cancer were detected, with a detection rate of 0.06% (8/12 375). The results of multivariate Poisson regression model analysis showed that compared with men, people who never smoked, never ate pickled food, had low oil content, and had no history of hepatobiliary disease, female, people who were smoking or had smoked, sometimes ate pickled food, ate higher oil content, and had a history of hepatobiliary disease had a higher detection rate of positive lesions. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) (95%CI) values were 1.98 (1.45-2.70), 2.23 (1.61-3.09)/2.08 (1.31-3.28), 1.82 (1.22-2.70), 1.44 (1.08-1.91), and 1.45 (1.05-2.00), respectively. Compared with those aged from 40 to 49 years old and without HBsAg test, the IRR (95%CI) of suspected liver cancer in people aged 70 to 74 years old and HBsAg positive were 16.30 (1.32-200.74) and 6.43 (1.24-33.22), respectively. Conclusion: The urban cancer early diagnosis and early treatment project in Zhejiang Province has good compliance in clinical screening of liver cancer. Abdominal ultrasound examination and serum alpha-fetoprotein detection are helpful to detect liver cancer and its precancerous lesions in the high-risk population of liver cancer.

Enzyme–antibody dual-film modified gold nanoparticle probe for ultrasensitive detection of alpha fetoprotein

In this study, we designed a comprehensive strategy for the ultrasensitive detection of alpha fetoprotein (AFP) with high specificity using gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A dual-film modified probe was synthesized by coating AuNPs with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) on its surface. Anti-AFP monoclonal antibody (McAb) was immobilized on the surface of the enzyme using glutaraldehyde cross-linking method. AuNPs, employed as support for the immobilization of HRP. HRP was used not only as the enzymatic-amplified tracer but also as a bridge for loading McAb. The limit of detection was 2 ng mL-1. The developed probes can provide an alternative approach with high sensitivity and a simple process similar to that of the traditional HRP-McAb based ELISA for the ultrasensitive detection of AFP in serum.

Application of serum alpha-fetoprotein, α-L-fucosidase, 5'-nucleotidase and γ-glutamyltransferase in early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective To investigate the application of alpha-fetoprotein(AFP), α-L-fucosidase(AFU), 5'-nucleotidase(5'-NT) and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) in diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC), and to provide the basis for its early and rapid diagnosis. Methods The clinical data of 120 cases with initial diagnosis as hepatocellular carcinoma, 150 cases with liver cirrhosis, 200 cases with hepatitis were analyzed retrospectively from June 2013 to August 2014, meanwhile, 100 healthy people were selected as control group. The serum AFP,AFU, 5'-NT and GGT levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay, rate method, peroxidase method and enzymatic colorimetric assay, respectively. The results were analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve, while the sensitivity, specificity, AUC were calculated at the same time. Results The levels of serum AFP, AFU, 5'-NT and GGT were significantly different among HCC group, liver cirrhosis group, hepatitis group and control group(all P<0.05). When tested alone, the sensitivities of AFP, AFU, 5'-NT and GGT were 58.33 % (70/120), 82.50 % (99/120), 85.00 % (102/120), 78.33 % (94/120), the specificities were 88.33 % (106/120), 73.33 % (88/120), 88.33 % (106/120), 71.67 % (86/120), and AUC were 0.655, 0.702, 0.814, 0.754. When four indexes were performed with combined test, the sensitivity was 98.33 % (118/120), specificity was 96.67 %(116/120), AUC was 0.975, which were higher than the single detection(all P<0.05). Conclusion The combined detection of serum AFP, AFU, 5'-NT and GGT can greatly increase the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing HCC and will gain mutual complement advantages, which is of great clinical value for early and rapid diagnosis. Key words: Hepatocellular carcinoma; Alpha-fetoprotein; α-L-fucosidase; 5'-nucleotidase; γ-glutamyltransferase

Value of combined detection of serum AFP and GP73 in early diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective To investigate the value of combined detection of serum alpha- fetoprotein(AFP) and Golgi protein- 73(GP73) in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and to provide a basis for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of HCC. Methods A total of 408 patients hospitalized in Baoji Central Hospital from June 2012 to May 2013,as well as healthy persons who had normal test results in physical examination,were included in the study,and their specimens were collected. These patients were classified into HCC group(n =142),chronic hepatitis group(n =156),and liver cirrhosis group(n =110). Serum levels of AFP and GP73 in the three groups were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay and double- antibody sandwich enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay,respectively.Comparison of test results between groups was made by analysis of variance,and comparison of rates was made by chi- square test. The sensitivity and specificity of the two indicators for the diagnosis of HCC were calculated using MedCalc statistical software. Results The HCC group had significantly higher serum AFP and GP73 levels than the liver cirrhosis group and chronic hepatitis group( P 0. 05); the liver cirrhosis group had significantly higher serum AFP and GP73 levels than the chronic hepatitis group(P 0. 05). The sensitivity and specificity of the two indicators for the diagnosis of HCC were 95. 8% and 98. 6%,respectively,showing significant differences compared with those of each indicator alone(P 0. 05). Conclusion Combined detection of serum AFP and GP73 has high diagnostic value and clinical significance for HCC,and they can be used as indicators for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of HCC.

Diagnostic value of cancer-testis antigen mRNA expression in peripheral blood of patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic value of cancer-testis antigen (CTA) mRNA in peripheral blood samples from patients with small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods Peripheral blood samples were drawn from 30 patients with small HCC before operation.The expression of the above CTA genes in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was detected by using nested reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR),and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels were also determined.Results Of the 30 patients,the positive rate of MAGE-1,SSX-1 and CTp11 transcripts was 26.6％ (6/30),26.6％ (6/30) and 16.6％ (5/30) in PBMCs,respectively.The positive rate for at least one of the three CTA gene transcripts was 40.0％ (12/30) in PBMCs of these patients.MAGE-1,SSX-1 and/or CTp11 mRNA were not detected in the PBMCs of those patients from whom the resected tumor sampies were negative for MAGE-1,SSX-1 and/or CTp11 mRNA,none in the PBMCs from 15 healthy donors and 15 cirrhotic patients.Among the 30 patients,there were only 6 patients whose serum AFP met the general diagnostic standard (AFP ＞ 400 μg/L) for HCC,whereas the other patients were negative for serum AFP (AFP ≤ 20 μg/L) or AFP positive with low concentration (20 μg/L ＜ AFP≤400 pg/L).The positive rate for at least one of the three CTA gene transcripts in PBMCs from the AFP negative patients or the AFP positive patients with low concentration was 33.3％ (5/15) and 44.4％ (4/9),respectively.50.0％ (15/30) of the patients with small HCC could be diagnosed by combining the results of the nested RT-PCR and the serum AFP detection,and this diagnostic rate was significantly higher than that (20.0％)made by AFP detection alone (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Detecting MAGE-1,SSX-1 and CTp11 mRNA in PBMCs is va1uable for diagnosing the patients with small HCC. Key words: Carcinoma,hepatocellular; Cancer-testis antigen; Diagnosis

Serum profiling based on fucosylated glycoproteins for differentiating between chronic hepatitis B and hepatocellular carcinoma

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is associated with the majority of cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in China. Despite this, there is no effective method for the early detection of HBV-induced liver cancer. Aberrant fucosylation is known to occur during the development of HCC. We, therefore, developed a method of applying matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) to analyze the relationship between aberrant fucosylation, tumor genesis and progression of HBV-associated HCC, and to establish proteomic profiling of serum for early diagnosis of HCC. The MALDI-TOF MS was based on Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA) lectin magnetic beads and their affinity for separation. The method was applied initially to a ‘training’ cohort of 111 serum samples obtained from subjects in China with no liver disease (n=26), chronic hepatitis B without cirrhosis (n=21), HBV-infected cirrhosis (n=32), or HBV-infected HCC (n=32). In contrast to previous findings, the results of our profiling analysis demonstrated defucosylation on some of the glycoproteins involved in HCC. HCC was then diagnostically classified in a ‘blind test’ cohort (n=96). In this group we demonstrated that, HCC could be distinguished from all serum samples, HBV-associated chronic liver disease, and HBV-associated cirrhosis with a sensitivity/specificity of 70%/70%, 78%/74%, and 81%/82%, respectively. When combined with serum alpha-fetoprotein detection (AFP>20ng/mL), the sensitivity/specificity improved to 78%/88%, 85%/88%, and 89%/91%, respectively. In conclusion, serum glycoprotein fucosylation abnormalities have diverse forms in patients with HCC. MALDI-TOF MS profiling of aberrant serum fucosylated glycoproteins distinguished HCC from controls with high accuracy.

Hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as nervous system involvement

To analyze the clinical features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with signs and symptoms of nervous system involvement as the initial presentation. Over a period of 11 years (January 1993 to December 2003), 15,008 HCC patients were identified at the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Amongst them, 42 cases had nervous system involvement, of which six had nervous system involvement as their initial presentation. These six cases were enrolled in this study and their clinical and laboratory data were analyzed. The clinical features of the other 36 HCC cases with nervous system involvement were also analyzed for comparison. The six cases were all males, aged 36-68 years old. The involved parts of the nervous system were the cerebellar hemisphere (one), the frontal lobe (one), the sphenoid sinus, sellar turcica, and cavernous sinus (one), the cervical spine (one), and the thoracic spine (two). Their corresponding neurologic presentations were back pain, headache, consciousness disturbance, visual disturbance, and limb weakness. Whilst three out of six patients presenting with nervous system manifestations were found to have concurrent systemic metastases in other expected sites (lung, bone), three had isolated nervous system involvement even after extensive work up. The associated medical conditions of the six cases included hepatitis B (three), hepatitis C (one), liver cirrhosis (two), portal vein thrombosis (three), and diabetes mellitus (two). All the six died within 9 months after the detection of nervous system involvement. The prevalence of nervous system involvement in HCC patients is 0.28% (42/15,088), with 0.04% (6/15,088) having this as their initial presentation. The prognosis of HCC with nervous system involvement is grave. Their clinical and laboratory data are not unique but the diagnosis could only be confirmed by hepatic and nervous system imaging studies, histopathologic examination, and serum alpha-fetoprotein detection. This consideration should be emphasized especially in areas that are hyperendemic for HCC and if the original focus of metastatic lesion is obscure.

Alpha-fetoprotein: Occurrence in germinal cell and liver malignancies

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), a normal alpha 1 globulin of human fetal serum, disappears from the circulation in the perinatal period. It is detected by micro double diffusion in agar gel, using specifically prepared and absorbed rabbit antiserum to human fetal serum. AFP is present in a high percentage of serum from African and Far Eastern patients with primary hepatoma and, in this study, in 42 per cent of patients with that disease in the United States of America. Of the serum samples from patients with metastatic germinal cell tumors of the testis 24 per cent contained AFP, and in this disease detection of AFP seems to be related to the extent of metastasis. Occurrence of AFP appears to be more frequent in teratocarcinoma (60 per cent) than in embryonal cell carcinoma (27 per cent). It is concluded that detection of AFP in serum is a useful diagnostic test when these tumors are suspected and that it also may serve as a useful adjunct in follow-up of some patients being treated for germinal cell carcinomas of the testis or ovary.

Hepatoblastoma in infant sisters.

A family in which 2 infant sisters died with hepatoblastoma, the first reported familial occurrence of this neoplasm, is presented. The children had no heritable or congenital disorders known to increase the risk of hepatoma, and laboratory studies revealed no clues to pathogenesis. The detection of serum alphafetoprotein in the proband suggests that the test may be useful in the diagnosis of hepatoblastoma as well as hepatocellular carcinoma, and in the screening of children predisposed to these neoplasms. Sibship aggregation has also been observed with adrenocortical neoplasia and Wilms' tumor, which share with hepatoblastoma an association with certain congenital malformations.