Competitive electrochemical aptasensor for high sensitivity detection of liver cancer marker GP73 based on rGO-Fc-PANi nanocomposites.

Golgi protein 73 (GP73) is a novel tumor marker in the early diagnosis and prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, a competitive electrochemical aptasensor for detecting GP73 was constructed using reduced graphene oxide-ferrocene-polyaniline nanocomposite (rGO-Fc-PANi) as the biosensing platform. The rGO-Fc-PANi had larger specific surface area, excellent conductivity and outstanding electroactive performance, which served as nanocarrier for GP73 aptamer (GP73Apt) binding and as redox nanoprobe for record electrical signal. Then, a complementary chain (cDNA) was fixed to the electrode by hybridization with GP73Apt. When GP73 was present, a competitive process happened among cDNA, GP73Apt and GP73, formed the GP73-GP73Apt stable chemical structure and made cDNA detach from the sensing electrode, resulting in enhancement of electrical signal. The difference in the corresponding peak current before and after the competition can be used to indicate the quantitative of GP73. Under optimal conditions, the DPV current response showed a good log-linear relationship with GP73 concentrations (0.001 âˆ¼ 100.0 ng/mL) with a detection limit of 0.15 pg/mL (S/N = 3). It was successfully used for GP73 detection in human serum with RSDs ranging from 1.08 % to 6.96 %. Therefore, the aptasensor could provide an innovative technology platform and hold a great potential in clinical application.

Fluorescence/electrochemical dual-mode strategy for Golgi protein 73 detection based on molybdenum disulfide/ferrocene/palladium nanoparticles and nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots.

Golgi protein 73 (GP73) is a new serum marker associated with early diagnosis and postoperative assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, an electrochemical/fluorescence dual-signal biosensor was designed for determination of GP73 based on molybdenum disulfide/ferrocene/palladium nanoparticles (MoS2-Fc-PdNPs) and nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs). GP73 aptamer (Apt) was labeled with NGQDs to form the NGQDs-Apt fluorescence probe. MoS2-Fc-PdNPs served not only as the fluorescence quencher but also as electrochemical enhancer. The sensing platform (NGQDs-Apt/MoS2-Fc-PdNPs) was formed based on the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) mechanism. In the presence of GP73, the specific binding of NGQDs-Apt to GP73 interrupted FRET, restoring the fluorescence of NGQDs-Apt at λex/em = 348/438 nm and enhancing the oxidation current of Fc in MoS2-Fc-PdNPs at 0.04 V through differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Under the optimal conditions, the DPV current change and fluorescence recovery have a good linear relationship with GP73 concentration from 1.00 to 10.0 ng/mL. The calibration equation for the fluorescence mode was Y1 = (0.0213 ± 0.00127)X + (0.0641 ± 0.00448) and LOD was 0.812 ng/mL (S/N = 3). The calibration equation of the electrochemical mode was Y2 = (3.41 ± 0.111)X + (1.62 ± 0.731), and LOD of 0.0425 ng/mL (S/N = 3). The RSDs of fluorescence mode and electrochemical mode after serum detection were 1.62 to 5.21% and 0.180 to 6.62%, respectively. By combining the electrochemical and fluorescence assay, more comprehensive and valuable information for GP73 was provided. Such dual-mode detection platform shows excellent reproducibility, stability, and selectivity and has great application potential.

Novel serum biomarker of Golgi protein 73 for the diagnosis of clinically significant portal hypertension in patients with compensated cirrhosis.

Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) is the gold standard for evaluating clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). However, reliable noninvasive methods are limited. Our study aims to investigate the diagnostic value of serum Golgi protein 73 (GP73) for CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis. The study enrolled 262 consecutive patients with compensated cirrhosis from three centers in China from February 2021 to September 2023, who underwent both serum GP73 tests and HVPG measurements. CSPH was defined as HVPG ≥ 10 mmHg. Diagnostic accuracy was evaluated using the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The prevalence of CSPH was 56.9% (n = 149). There were significant differences between the CSPH and non-CSPH groups in the median serum GP73 level (126.8 vs. 73.1 ng/mL, p < 0.001). GP73 level showed a significant positive linear correlation with HVPG (r = 0.459, p < 0.001). The AUC for the diagnosis of CSPH using serum GP73 alone was 0.75 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.68-0.81). Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined that the levels of GP73, platelets and international normalized ratio were independently associated with CSPH. The combination of these three markers was termed "IP73" score with an AUC value of 0.85 (95% CI 0.80-0.89) for CSPH. Using 0 as a cut-off value, the specificity and sensitivity of IP73 score were 77.9% and 81.9%, respectively. The IP73 score offers a novel, simple and noninvasive method of assessing CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis. A cut-off value of the IP73 score at 0 can distinguish patients with or without CSPH.

A meta-analysis of the prognostic impact of tissue golgi protein 73 (tGP73) in hepatocellular carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: To date, an increasing number of studies have revealed that GP73 may have prognostic value in liver cancer. However, most of the studies evaluated serum GP73, and the results regarding the prognostic value of tGP73 in liver cancer are still controversial. Therefore, in this meta-analysis, we aimed to determine whether tGP73 has any prognostic value in patients with HCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant publications were searched for in PubMed, EMBASE, OVID, the Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science databases up to March 2023. The hazard ratio (HR) or odds ratio (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of eligible studies were assessed by fixed-effects or random-effects models. In addition, subgroup analyses were conducted to investigate the possible causes of heterogeneity, and publication bias analysis was also performed to assess the reliability of the meta-analysis results. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies were included. These studies included 1569 HCC patients, and a meta-analysis was performed. The results of our meta-analysis showed that higher GP73 expression levels were significantly associated with poorer OS (HR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.41-2.48, P < 0.0001, I2 = 58%). However, there was no significant correlation between high GP73 expression and disease-free survival (DFS) (HR: 1.43, 95% CI: 0.93-2.33, P = 0.100). In addition, abnormal GP73 expression was also related to higher tumour tissue differentiation grade (OR = 3.03, 95% CI = 2.01-4.57, P < 0.0001, I2 = 89%), later tumour stage (OR = 5.89, 95% CI = 2.31-14.99, P < 0.0001, I2 = 0%), vascular invasion (OR = 1.72, 95% CI = 1.12-2.64, P = 0.010, I2 = 0%), multiple tumours (OR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.37-3.68, P = 0.001, I2 = 44%) and early postoperative tumour recurrence (OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.10-3.28, P = 0.020, I2 = 62%). CONCLUSIONS: The meta-analysis showed that the overexpression of GP73 may be related to a poor prognosis of HCC, and it may also have a predictive effect on the invasion and metastasis of HCC.

[Diagnostic value of novel hepatic fibrosis markers in assessing cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and the dynamic changes of CHI3L1 and GP73 after HCV clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs). The comparison of continuous variables of normal distribution were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and t-test. The comparison of continuous variables of non-normal distribution were statistically analyzed by rank sum test. The categorical variables were statistically analyzed by Fisher's exact test and χ(2) test. Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman correlation analysis. Methods: Data of 105 patients with CHC diagnosed from January 2017 to December 2019 were collected. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was plotted to study the efficacy of serum CHI3L1 and GP73 for the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Friedman test was used to compare CHI3L1 and GP73 change characteristics. Results: The areas under the ROC curve for CHI3L1 and GP73 in the diagnosis of cirrhosis at baseline were 0.939 and 0.839, respectively. Serum levels of CHI3L1 and GP73 in the DAAs group decreased significantly at the end of treatment compared with baseline [123.79 (60.25, 178.80) ng/ml vs. 118.20 (47.68, 151.36) ng/ml, P = 0.001; 105.73 (85.05, 130.69) ng/ml vs. 95.52 (69.52, 118.97) ng/ml, P = 0.001]. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 in the pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin (PR) group were significantly lower at the end of 24 weeks of treatment than the baseline [89.15 (39.15, 149.74) ng/ml vs. 69.98 (20.52, 71.96) ng/ml, P < 0.05; 85.07 (60.07, 121) ng/ml vs. 54.17 (29.17, 78.65) ng/ml, P < 0.05]. Conclusion: CHI3L1 and GP73 are sensitive serological markers that can be used to monitor the fibrosis prognosis in CHC patients during treatment and after obtaining a sustained virological response. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 levels in the DAAs group decreased earlier than those in the PR group, and the serum CHI3L1 levels in the untreated group increased compared with the baseline at about two years of follow-up.

Whether the Golgi protein 73 could be a diagnostic serological marker in hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: The Value of Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in the diagnosis of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains controversial, especially in its differentiation between HCC and cirrhosis. Besides, some papers showed that GP73 levels are correlated with liver fibrosis. This study conducts a meta-analysis to evaluate the value of GP73 in diagnosing HCC and differential diagnosing HCC from liver cirrhosis. METHODS: 36 studies with a sample size of 8314 cases concerning the accuracy of GP73 in the diagnosis of HCC were selected through a systematic review. Seven of these studies included a total of 438 HCC samples and 426 cirrhosis samples and calculated the sensitivity and specificity of GP73 for differential diagnosing HCC from cirrhosis. QUADAS (quality assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies) was used to evaluate the quality of literature. Statistical analyses were performed using StataSE16 software. RESULTS: The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, negative likelihood ratio, diagnostic odds ratio and the area under the curve were 0.79(95%CI 0.74-0.83),0.85(95%CI 0.80-0.89),5.4(95%CI 3.8-7.5), 0.25(95%CI 0.20-0.31), 22(95%CI 13-35), and 0.88 for GP73 diagnosing HCC;0.74(95%CI 0.64-0.81),0.70(95%CI 0.49-0.85),2.40(95%CI 1.3-4.7),0.38(95%CI 0.23-0.61),6(95%CI 2-19), and 0.78 for GP73 differential diagnosing HCC from liver cirrhosis. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that GP73 has a high diagnostic value for HCC and a moderate value for differential diagnosis of HCC from liver cirrhosis.

Glypican-3, Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Golgi Protein-73 for Differentiation between Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for more than 80% of primary liver cancers. Moreover, in the next 10 years, more than one million patients are expected to die from liver cancer as estimated by the World Health Organization. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the clinical utility of using Glypican (GPC3), Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in serum by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) and by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), as diagnostic markers to differentiate HCC from cirrhotic liver disease. METHODS: A total of 50 patients with histologically-proven HCC, 50 liver cirrhosis patients and 20 healthy volunteers as controls were enrolled in this study, blood samples were obtained from each patient. Expression of the studied biomarkers was evaluated by ELISA and Real-Time PCR. RESULTS: Statistical analysis of RT-PCR results showed that the expression of GPC3, VEGF and GP73 in serum of patients with HCC was significant (P value < 0.001, 0.01, and < 0.001) respectively and increased when compared to the cirrhotic group. Furthermore, the serum protein levels of GPC3 and VEGF in HCC and cirrhotic patients were significant when compared to the control group. While no significance was found between HCC and cirrhotic group. The serum protein level of GP73 was significantly increased in HCC and cirrhosis groups  compared to the control group (P value < 0.001). Moreover, a significant increase was  evident in HCC group compared to cirrhotic group (P value < 0.001). The results of the present study showed that the combination of VEGF and  GP73 could  discriminate HCC from cirrhosis. CONCLUSION: GPC3, VEGF and GP73 are reliable biomarkers for diagnosis of  HCC. The serum level of GP73 is a potential screening marker for discriminating HCC from liver cirrhosis.

GP73 is a promising indicator in HIV diagnosis and treatment: a one-year follow-up study.

Golgi protein 73 (GP73) has been recognized as a biomarker for evaluating liver diseases, although the serum profile of patients with HIV remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate the diagnostic values of serum GP73 in patients with HIV. A total of 92 patients with HIV and 60 healthy participants were selected, and serum samples were collected; 51 of 92 patients were followed up and all indicators were re-tested after 1 year. Patients with HIV had significantly lower GP73 concentration, lower viral load, and higher CD4+ T cell counts after antiretroviral treatment. A significant correlation between the changes of GP73 level and CD4+ T cell count was observed. The CD4+ T cell count was significantly correlated with the glycosylated GP73 level. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of GP73 to predict negative viral load-negative conversion alone was 0.705. When the cut-off value was set at 146.7 ng/mL, the sensitivity and specificity were 73% and 70% respectively. These results indicate that serum GP73 may have predictive ability for negative viral load-negative conversion.

A novel fluorescent strategy for Golgi protein 73 determination based on aptamer/nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots/molybdenum disulfide @ reduced graphene oxide nanosheets.

The effective detection of biomarkers associated with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is of great importance. Golgi protein 73 (GP73), a serum biomarker of HCC, has better diagnostic value than Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) has been reported. In this paper, highly accurate fluorescence sensing platform for detecting GP73 was constructed based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET), in which nitrogen-doped graphene quantum dots (NGQDs) labelling with GP73 aptamer (GP73Apt) was used as fluorescence probe, and molybdenum disulfide @ reduced graphene oxide (MoS2@RGO) nanosheets was used as fluorescent receptors. MoS2@RGO nanosheets can quench the fluorescence of NGQDs-GP73Apt owing to FRET mechanisms. In the presence of GP73, the NGQDs-GP73Apt specifically bound with GP73 to from the deployable structures, making NGQDs-GP73Apt far away from MoS2@RGO nanosheets, blocking the FRET process, resulting in fluorescence recovery of NGQDs-GP73Apt. Under optimal conditions, the recovery intensity of fluorescence in the detection system is linearly related to the concentration of GP73 in the range of 5 ng/mL - 100 ng/mL and the limit of detection is 4.54 ng/mL (S/N = 3). Moreover, detection of GP73 was performed in human serum samples with good recovery (97.21-100.83%). This platform provides a feasible method for the early diagnosis of HCC, and can be easily extended to the detection of other biomarkers.

Diagnostic Value of Serum Golgi Protein 73 for Liver Fibrosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of liver fibrosis has been a critical component in the clinical management of liver diseases. We performed a meta-analysis to evaluate serum Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in the diagnosis of liver fibrosis. METHODS: A literature search was performed in eight databases until July 13, 2022. We strictly searched studies according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted data, and then assessed quality. We pooled the sensitivity, specificity, and other diagnostic estimates of serum GP73 to assess liver fibrosis. Moreover, publication bias, threshold analysis, sensitivity analysis, meta-regression, subgroup analysis, and post-test probability were evaluated. RESULTS: Our research integrated 16 articles including 3,676 patients. Potential publication bias and threshold effect were not found. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve of the summary receiver operating characteristic curve were 0.63, 0.79, and 0.818 for significant fibrosis; 0.77, 0.76, and 0.852 for advanced fibrosis; and 0.80, 0.76, and 0.894 for cirrhosis, respectively. The aetiology was one of the important sources of heterogeneity. CONCLUSION: Serum GP73 was a feasible diagnostic marker for liver fibrosis, which is of great significance for the clinical management of liver diseases.

The potential value of serum GP73 in the ancillary diagnosis and grading of liver cirrhosis.

This study is to evaluate the potential value of serum GP73 in ancillary cirrhosis diagnosis. 150 cirrhotic subjects and healthy subjects were retrospectively analyzed, and the two groups were compared in terms of Child‒Pugh grade. Serum GP73 was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Receiver operating characteristic curves were drawn to evaluate the diagnostic value of GP73, and the quantitative relationship between cirrhosis and GP73 was verified by logistic regression. The result showed in regard to serum biomarkers related to cirrhosis, the serum levels of GP73, TBIL, DBIL, and PT were higher and the ALB and PLT were lower in the cirrhosis group than in the control group (p = 0.000), and the area under the ROC curve of GP73 for diagnosing cirrhosis was 0.823 (p = 0.000), the cutoff value was 135 ng/ml, the sensitivity was 60.0%, and the specificity was 88.67%. Logistic regression analysis showed that GP73 > 135 ng/ml had an odds ratio of 11.735 (ß= 2.463, 95% CI: 6.432-21.411, p = 0.000) for diagnosing cirrhosis. Additionally, the Child‒Pugh A, B, and C groups had different levels of GP73 (χ2 =17.840, p = 0.000). A pairwise comparison between the groups showed that there was a significant difference between grades A and B (p = 0.004) and between grades A and C (p = 0.002), but there was no significant difference between grades B and C (p = 1.000). We found serum GP73 levels were elevated in patients with cirrhosis. When the GP73 level was >135 ng/ml, the potential risk of a cirrhosis diagnosis increased approximately 12-fold.

Diagnostic value of novel hepatic fibrosis markers in assessing cirrhosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C / 中华肝脏病杂志

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of chitinase-3-like protein 1 (CHI3L1) and Golgi protein 73 (GP73) in the diagnosis of cirrhosis and the dynamic changes of CHI3L1 and GP73 after HCV clearance in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with direct-acting antiviral drugs (DAAs). The comparison of continuous variables of normal distribution were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and t-test. The comparison of continuous variables of non-normal distribution were statistically analyzed by rank sum test. The categorical variables were statistically analyzed by Fisher's exact test and χ(2) test. Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman correlation analysis. Methods: Data of 105 patients with CHC diagnosed from January 2017 to December 2019 were collected. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC curve) was plotted to study the efficacy of serum CHI3L1 and GP73 for the diagnosis of cirrhosis. Friedman test was used to compare CHI3L1 and GP73 change characteristics. Results: The areas under the ROC curve for CHI3L1 and GP73 in the diagnosis of cirrhosis at baseline were 0.939 and 0.839, respectively. Serum levels of CHI3L1 and GP73 in the DAAs group decreased significantly at the end of treatment compared with baseline [123.79 (60.25, 178.80) ng/ml vs. 118.20 (47.68, 151.36) ng/ml, P = 0.001; 105.73 (85.05, 130.69) ng/ml vs. 95.52 (69.52, 118.97) ng/ml, P = 0.001]. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 in the pegylated interferon combined with ribavirin (PR) group were significantly lower at the end of 24 weeks of treatment than the baseline [89.15 (39.15, 149.74) ng/ml vs. 69.98 (20.52, 71.96) ng/ml, P < 0.05; 85.07 (60.07, 121) ng/ml vs. 54.17 (29.17, 78.65) ng/ml, P < 0.05]. Conclusion: CHI3L1 and GP73 are sensitive serological markers that can be used to monitor the fibrosis prognosis in CHC patients during treatment and after obtaining a sustained virological response. Serum CHI3L1 and GP73 levels in the DAAs group decreased earlier than those in the PR group, and the serum CHI3L1 levels in the untreated group increased compared with the baseline at about two years of follow-up.

Role of serum Golgi protein 73 in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease / 临床肝胆病杂志

Golgi protein 73 (GP73) is a Golgi transmembrane protein that can be released into blood by cleavage. An increasing number of studies have shown that the increase in serum GP73 is closely associated with the development and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and serum GP73 is expected to be used as a potential serological marker for the diagnosis and assessment of NAFLD. This article reviews the research advances in serum GP73 in NAFLD and analyzes its potential mechanism of action, so as to provide new options for the therapeutic targets of NAFLD.

Hepatitis B virus promotes hepatocellular carcinoma development by activating GP73 to repress the innate immune response.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) causes acute and chronic infection in the clinic. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is closely linked to HBV infection. Serum Golgi protein 73 (GP73) increases during HBV infection. However, the role of GP73 during HBV infection and the occurrence of HBV-related HCC is still poorly understood. METHODS: The underlying role of HBV-induced GP73 in regulating HCC development was investigated in this study. GP73 expression in HBV-related clinical HCC tissues and in HBV-infected hepatoma cells and primary human hepatocytes was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, ELISAs, Western blotting and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis. Tumorigenicity of GP73 overexpressed cells was detected by flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, xenograft nude mouse analyses and sphere formation assays. The effects of GP73 and HBV infection on host innate immune responses in hepatocytes were further investigated by Western blotting and qRT-PCR analysis. RESULTS: Initially, we confirmed that HBV-positive HCC tissues had significantly higher expression of GP73. Ectopic expression of the HBV gene could induce GP73 expression in primary human hepatocytes and hepatoma cells in vitro. In addition, we discovered that GP73 promotes HCC in both normal liver cells and hepatoma cells. We also found that ectopic expression of HBV genes increases GP73 expression, suppressing the host's innate immune responses in hepatocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that HBV facilitates HCC development by activating GP73 to repress the host's innate immune response. This study adds to our understanding of the pathogenesis of HBV infection-induced HCC. The findings also provide preclinical support for GP73 as a potential HCC prevention or treatment target.

Effects of microwave ablation on serum Golgi protein 73 in patients with primary liver cancer.

BACKGROUND: Microwave ablation (MWA) is an effective treatment option for patients with primary liver cancer. However, it has been reported that the MWA procedure induces a hepatic inflammatory response and injury, which may negatively affect the efficacy of MWA. As such, the discovery of reliable markers to monitor the patient's response to MWA is needed. Golgi protein 73 (GP73) has been shown to be associated with chronic liver disease. To date, the potential value of serum GP73 in the dynamic monitoring during MWA of liver cancer remains unclear. AIM: To examine the effects of MWA on the serum levels of GP73 in patients with primary liver cancer. METHODS: A total of 150 primary liver cancer patients with a single small lesion (≤ 3 cm in diameter) were retrospectively enrolled spanning the period between January 2016 and October 2018. All of the patients received MWA for the treatment of primary liver cancer. Serum GP73, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and widely used liver biochemical indicators [serum albumin, total bilirubin (TBIL), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST)] were compared before MWA and at different time points, including 1, 2, and 4 wk following the ablation procedure. RESULTS: Complete tumor ablation was achieved in 95.33% of the patients at 1 mo after MWA. The 1-, 2-, and 3-year disease-free survival rates were 74.67%, 59.33%, and 54.00%, respectively. The serum AFP levels were significantly decreased at 1, 2, and 4 wk after MWA; they returned to the normal range at 12 wk after MWA; and they remained stable thereafter during follow-up in those cases without recurrence. In contrast, the serum GP73 levels were significantly increased at 1 and 2 wk after MWA. The serum GP73 levels reached the peak at 2 wk after MWA, started to decline after hepatoprotective treatment with glycyrrhizin and reduced glutathione, and returned to the pretreatment levels at 12 and 24 wk after MWA. Notably, the changes of serum GP73 in response to MWA were similar to those of TBIL, ALT, and AST. CONCLUSION: Serum GP73 is markedly increased in response to MWA of liver cancer. Thus, serum GP73 holds potential as a marker to monitor MWA-induced inflammatory liver injury in need of amelioration.

Short-term prognostic factors for hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure.

BACKGROUND: Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is the abrupt exacerbation of declined hepatic function in patients with chronic liver disease. AIM: To explore the independent predictors of short-term prognosis in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related ACLF and to establish a predictive short-term prognosis model for HBV-related ACLF. METHODS: From January 2016 to December 2019, 207 patients with HBV-related ACLF attending the 910th Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army were continuously included in this retrospective study. Patients were stratified based on their survival status 3 mo after diagnosis. Information was collected regarding gender and age; coagulation function in terms of prothrombin time and international normalized ratio (INR); hematological profile in terms of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet count (PLT); blood biochemistry in terms of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total bilirubin (Tbil), albumin, cholinesterase, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine, blood glucose, and sodium (Na); tumor markers including alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and Golgi protein 73 (GP73); virological indicators including HBV-DNA, HBsAg, HBeAg, Anti-HBe, and Anti-HBc; and complications including hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenal syndrome, spontaneous peritonitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and pulmonary infection. RESULTS: There were 157 and 50 patients in the survival and death categories, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed significant differences in age, PLT, Tbil, BUN, NLR, HBsAg, AFP, GP73, INR, stage of liver failure, classification of liver failure, and incidence of complications (pulmonary infection, hepatic encephalopathy, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, and upper gastrointestinal bleeding) between the two groups (P < 0.05). GP73 [hazard ratio (HR): 1.009, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.005-1.013, P = 0.000], middle stage of liver failure (HR: 5.056, 95%CI: 1.792-14.269, P = 0.002), late stage of liver failure (HR: 22.335, 95%CI: 8.544-58.388, P = 0.000), pulmonary infection (HR: 2.056, 95%CI: 1.145-3.690, P = 0.016), hepatorenal syndrome (HR: 6.847, 95%CI: 1.930-24.291, P = 0.003), and HBsAg (HR: 0.690, 95%CI: 0.524-0.908, P = 0.008) were independent risk factors for short-term prognosis in patients with HBV-related ACLF. Following binary logistics regression analysis, we arrived at the following formula for predicting short-term prognosis: Logit(P) = Ln(P/1-P) = 0.013 × (GP73 ng/mL) + 1.907 × (middle stage of liver failure) + 4.146 × (late stage of liver failure) + 0.734 × (pulmonary infection) + 22.320 × (hepatorenal syndrome) - 0.529 × (HBsAg) - 5.224. The predictive efficacy of the GP73-ACLF score was significantly better than that of the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) and MELD-Na score models (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The stage of liver failure, presence of GP73, pulmonary infection, hepatorenal syndrome, and HBsAg are independent predictors of short-term prognosis in patients with HBV-related ACLF, and the GP73-ACLF model has good predictive value among these patients.

Colorimetric biosensor for visual determination of Golgi protein 73 based on reduced graphene oxide-carboxymethyl chitosan-Hemin/platinum@palladium nanozyme with peroxidase-like activity.

A Golgi protein 73 (GP73) colorimetric biosensor based on the reduced graphene oxide-carboxymethyl chitosan-hemin/platinum@palladium nanoparticles (RGO-CMCS-Hemin/Pt@Pd NPs) with peroxidase-like activity was constructed. The RGO-CMCS-Hemin/Pt@Pd NPs with high peroxidase-like activity were successfully synthesized under mild conditions. Then, the aminylated GP73 aptamer (Apt) was bound to the RGO-CMCS-Hemin/Pt@Pd NPs to form the recognition probe. Another unmodified GP73 aptamer (AptI) was served as the capture probe. In the presence of target GP73, the capture probe and the recognition probe specifically bind to GP73 and form a RGO-CMCS-Hemin/Pt@Pd NP-Apt/GP73/AptI sandwich-type structure, which can oxidase the colorless 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into blue oxTMB in the presence of H2O2. GP73 detection was achieved by measuring the peak UV absorption at 652 nm. Under the optimum conditions, the GP73 concentration was linearly related to the absorbance intensity in the range 10.0-110.0 ng/mL, and the limit of detection (LOD) was 4.7 ng/mL. The proposed colorimetric biosensor was successfully applied to detect GP73 in spiked human serum samples with recoveries of 98.2-107.0% and RSDs of 1.90-5.44%, demonstrating the excellent potential for highly sensitive GP73 detection in clinical detection. A colorimetric biosensor for visual determination of GP73 based on RGO-CMCS-Hemin/Pt@Pd NPs nanozyme with peroxidase-like activity was designed. The GP73 biosensor responses linearly from 10.0-110.0 ng/mL with LOD of 4.7 ng/mL, and shows acceptable specificity and good recovery.

Dual-signal sandwich-type aptasensor based on H-rGO-Mn3O4 nanozymes for ultrasensitive Golgi protein 73 determination.

Golgi protein 73 (GP73) is a new type of marker that can specifically detect hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Herein, a dual-signal sandwich-type electrochemical aptasensor for GP73 determination was constructed on the basis of hemin-reduced graphene oxide-manganese oxide (H-rGO-Mn3O4) nanozymes. Gold@poly(o-phenylenediamine) (Au@POPD) nanohybrids with a large specific surface area and conductance were co-electro-deposited onto a screen-printed electrode (SPE) surface to immobilize GP73 capture aptamer 2 (Apt2). H-rGO-Mn3O4 nanozymes were used not only to immobilize amino functionalised GP73 aptamer 1 (Apt1) as the detection probe, but also to serve as an in-situ redox signal indicator because of the redox reaction of Hemin (Fe(Ш)/Hemin(Fe(II)). In addition, given their excellent peroxidase-like activity, H-rGO-Mn3O4 nanozymes can catalyse the decomposition of H2O2 and oxidation of substrate (3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine, TMB) to oxTMB, which is used as another redox signal. In the presence of the target GP73, the two aptamers specifically bind to the target, thereby affecting two electrochemical signals. Under optimal conditions, the dual-signal sandwich-type electrochemical aptasensor had a salient analytical performance. The two electrochemical redox signals linearly increase with the logarithm of the GP73 concentration in the range of 0.01-100.0 ng/mL with the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.0071 ng/mL and sensitivity of 2.441 µA/µM/cm2. Moreover, the recovery of human serum samples ranged from 98.66% to 121.11%. Furthermore, the two redox signals can simultaneously corroborate each other, thereby preventing missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis. All the results can provide new insights into the clinically effective determination of HCC.

Relationship between the Level of Serum Golgi Protein 73 and the Risk of Short-term Death in Patients with ALD-ACLF.

Background and Aims: As a hepatocellular carcinoma biomarker, serum Golgi protein 73 (GP73) is reportedly related to inflammation. Acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) is characterized by severe systemic inflammation. In this study, we aimed to explore the association between the GP73 level and short-term mortality in patients with alcohol-associated liver disease-related ACLF (ALD-ACLF). Methods: This retrospective cohort study involved 126 Chinese adults with ALD-ACLF. Baseline serum GP73 level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were followed-up for 90 d and outcomes were assessed. Data were analyzed using multivariate Cox regression and piecewise linear regression analyses. The predictive value of GP73 and classic models for the short-term prognosis of participants were evaluated and compared using receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: The serum GP73 level was independently associated with an increased mortality risk in patients with ALD-ACLF. Compared with the lowest tertile, the highest serum GP73 level predisposed patients with ALD-ACLF to a higher mortality risk in the fully adjusted model [at 28 days: hazard ratio (HR): 4.29 (0.99-18.54), p=0.0511; at 90 days: HR: 3.52 (1.15-10.79), p=0.0276]. Further analysis revealed a positive linear association. GP73 significantly improved the accuracy of the Child-Turcotte-Pugh score, model for end-stage liver disease score, and model for end-stage liver disease-sodium score in predicting short-time prognosis of patients with ALD-ACLF. Conclusions: The serum GP73 level is a significant predictor of the subsequent risk of death in patients with ALD-ACLF. GP73 improved the predictive value of classic prognostic scores.

GP73 level in patients with chronic hepatitis B: Relationship with liver biopsy, levels of ALT, AST and HBV DNA.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In this study, we investigated the Golgi protein 73 (GP73) level in Hepatitis B and determined the correlation between Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, and liver histopathology. Materials and. METHODS: GP73 levels were estimated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in serum samples from patients. Liver biopsy specimens were examined by the same pathologist. RESULTS: : This study included a total of 127 patients who underwent liver biopsy. Of patients, 85% were HBeAg negative. HBV DNA level was median 134667 IU/mL (2247-170000000 IU/mL), Liver biopsy results revealed a mean Histological Activity Index (HAI) grade of 7.7 ± 3.4 and a mean fibrosis stage of 2.25 ± 1.06 gr/dL. GP73 was as follows: a mean of 14.8 ± 7.9 ng/mL and a median of 12.9 (4.8-50.1) ng/mL. A weak correlation between GP73 level and AST (r = 0.236, P = 0.11), fibrosis stage (r = 0.287, P = 0.002), and HAI grade (r = 0.218, P = 0.016) was noted. No statistically significant correlation was detected between GP73 and ALT (r = 0.16, P = 0.08), HBV DNA (r = 0.13, P = 0.08). CONCLUSION: Although recent studies revealed a strong correlation and increased GP73 levels in accordance with HAI scores and the fibrosis grade of liver, we detected a weak correlation between serum GP73 levels and HAI scores, fibrosis stage, and AST. This may be due to the insufficient number of patients with higher HAI grading and fibrosis staging in our study. Therefore, we concluded that, in cases of low-moderate fibrosis and HAI grading, GP73 seemed not to be useful and a reliable marker to replace liver biopsy.