Combination detection of GPC-3 mRNA and GGT for diagnosis of AFP-negative hepatocellular carcinoma

Objective: To investigate the diagnostic value of the combination detection of the glypican 3(GPC-3) mRNA expression in peripheral blood monouclear cells(PBMC) and plasma level of γ-glutamyl transpeptidase(GGT) for patients with α-fetoprotein(AFP)-negative hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods: The PBMC GPC-3 mRNA expressions in 39 patients with AFP-negative HCC,39 patients with non-HCC liver diseases and 40 healthy volunteers were determined by RT-PCR method,and the plasma GGT levels (58 U/L was considered as positive) in the 39 AFP-negative HCC cases were measured by using automatic biochemical analyzer.The positive rates by single or combination of the two detections were analyzed.Results: The detection rate of PBMC GPC-3 mRNA expression in the 39 AFP-negative HCC patients was 62%(24/39),while none of the cases in patients with non-HCC liver diseases and healthy subjects presented positive expression of PBMC GPC-3 mRNA,thus the specificity of PBMC GPC-3 mRNA for AFP-negative HCC was 100%.The positive rate of GGT elevation in the 39 AFP-negative HCC patients was 80%(31/39).The positive rate of the combination detection of PBMC GPC-3 mRNA and GGT reached 95%,which was significantly higher than that of either GPC-3 mRNA or GGT alone(both P0.05).Conclusion: PBMC GPC-3 mRNA expression has a high specificity in AFP-negative HCC patients.The combination detection of GPC-3 mRNA and GGT is helpful to the early diagnosis of AFP-negative HCC.