Lipocalin-2: A novel diagnostic marker for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Viral hepatitis, alcoholism and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis are the most common risk factors. Despite the advances in HCC screening and treatment options, HCC still has a high mortality rate and a high rate of recurrence after treatment. Lipocalin-2 (LCN-2) is a glycoprotein transporter that is highly expressed in HCC tissues. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate serum LCN-2 as a diagnostic marker for HCC. METHODS: The study was carried out in Zagazig university hospitals. It included 210 HCC patients (subdivided in three subgroups), 72 liver cirrhosis patients without HCC and 18 normal control persons (the total is 300 subjects). All the study subjects were evaluated by history taking, physical examination, routine laboratory investigations, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and LCN-2 in addition radiology. RESULTS: In comparison between HCC and control, there was a statistically significant difference in hemoglobin percent (HB%), platelet count, serum ALT, AST, ALP, bilirubin, albumin and creatinine. In comparison to AFP, LCN-2 > 225 ng/ml had a higher diagnostic performance in HCC patients and was more accurate in differentiation between cirrhosis and HCC patients. CONCLUSION: LCN-2 is a good candidate for HCC diagnosis and screening.

Complement c1q tumor necrosis factor-related protein 3 a novel adipokine, protect against diabetes mellitus in young adult Egyptians.

C1q/TNF-related protein-3 (CTRP3) is a novel adipokine with anti-inflammatory and a multitude of biological effects on glucose and lipid metabolism however, the influence of CTRP3 on incidence of diabetes mellitus remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of CTRP3 levels in obese and normal body weight young adults on insulin resistance and occurrence of diabetes mellitus. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In this case control study, Serum levels of CTRP3, HbA1c, Lipid profile, glucose and insulin levels were determined in 75 obese and 68 normal body weight individuals. RESULTS: In obese young adults CTRP3 concentrations were decreased compared to normal body weight young adults (NBW). The association between reduction of CTRP3 concentrations and the presence of diabetes is statistically significant. CTRP3 showed significant negative correlation with BMI, HOMA-IR and triglycerides as well as positive correlations with HDL - cholesterol while there is no association between CTRP3 and BMI within the NBW group. Higher HbA1C, HOMA-IR, and risk of diabetes development within obese subjects were related to lower CTRP3 concentration. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that reduction of CTRP3 concentrations is likely to bring a concomitant increase in risk of diabetes in obese and normal body weight young adults. Decrease in CTRP3 concentration may have an essential role in the pathophysiology of metabolic disorders concomitant to obesity.