BioScience Trends. 2016;10(5):337-343. (DOI: 10.5582/bst.2016.01176)

Advances in the study of oncofetal antigen glypican-3 expression in HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma.

Yao M, Wang L, Fang M, Zheng WJ, Dong ZZ, Yao DF


SUMMARY

Early specific diagnosis and effective treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are crucial. Expression of membrane-associated heparan sulfate proteoglycan glypican-3 (GPC-3) was recently found to increase as part of the malignant transformation of hepatocytes, and this increase is especially marked in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, periportal cancerous embolus, or extra-hepatic metastasis. According to data from basic and clinical studies, the oncofetal antigen GPC-3 is a highly specific diagnostic biomarker of HCC and an indicator of its prognosis, and GPC-3 is also a promising target molecule for HCC gene therapy since it may play a crucial role in cell proliferation, metastasis, and invasion and it may mediate oncogenesis and oncogenic signaling pathways. This review summarizes recent advances in the use of oncofetal antigen GPC-3 to diagnose HBV-related HCC, estimate its prognosis, and its targeted therapy.


KEYWORDS: Glypican-3, hepatocellular carcinoma, HBV infection, diagnosis, prognosis, targeted therapy

Full Text: