New serum biomarkers for detection of HBV-induced liver cirrhosis using SELDI protein chip technology

Abstract

Aim: To find new serum biomarkers for liver cirrhosis (LC) in chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus (HBV).

Methods: Surface enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (SELDI-TOF) mass spectrometry was used to discover biomarkers for differentiating HBV induced LC from non-cirrhotic cohorts. A training population of 25 patients with HBV-induced LC, 20 patients with HCC, and 25 closely age-matched healthy men, was studied.

Results: Two biomarkers with M(r) 7 772 and 3 933 were detected in sera of non-cirrhotic cohorts, but not in patients with HBV-induced LC. A sensitivity of 80% for all LC patients, a specificity of 81.8% for all non-cirrhotic cohorts and a positive predictive value of 75% for the study population were obtained.

Conclusion: These two serum biomarkers for HBV-induced LC might be used for diagnosis and assessment of disease progression.

Figure 1

SELDI-TOF mass spectra. Spectra 1-4 from HBV-induced LC patients, 5-8 from healthy men, and 9-12 from HCC patients. A biomarker of M_r 7772 was present in non-cirrhotic group, but not in LC serum samples.

Figure 2

SELDI-TOF mass spectra. Spectra 1-4 from HBV in-duced LC patients, 5-8 from healthy men, and 9-12 from HCC patients. A biomarker of M_r 3933 was present in non-cirrhotic group, but not in LC serum samples.

Figure 3

Tree structure and sample distribution. The root node and descendant nodes are indicated in gray, and the ter-minal nodes are shown in black. Peaks with M_r 7772 and 3933 were chosen to set up the decision tree.