Abstract 1162: Caspase recruitment domains: New potential markers for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients.

Abstract Background: Chronic HCV is a major leading cause of HCC development. Caspase Recruitment Domains (CARD) is protein modules that regulate apoptosis. Besides; numerous CARD proteins play an important role in various carcinogenesis processes. Aim: To assess the possible role of CARD9, CARD10 and Caspase only protein (COP) in progression of liver fibrosis and pathogenesis of HCC in chronic HCV G4 Egyptian patients. Methods: One hundred and thirty patients were recruited and classified into 4 groups; group I: Chronic HCV, group II: Chronic active hepatitis, group III: Liver cirrhosis, group IV: HCV related HCC. Biochemical, virological studies, abdominal ultrasonography and liver biopsy were performed. Quantitative estimation of mRNA of CARD9, CARD10 and COP were performed by reverse transcription PCR in liver biopsy from all collected patients. Results: In HCC patients; age, AFP and liver profile were significantly higher, HB and platelets were significantly lower, (p value <0.01). The expression levels of mRNA of CARD9, CARD10 and COP in liver biopsies of HCC group (IV) were significantly higher than other groups (p value<0.01). On differentiation between HCC and non HCC patients each CARD was assessed separately then in combination with others as follow; CARD 9, CARD 10, COP and AFP separately showed best cutoff at (87, 89.5, 20.3, 10.35) with sensitivity (80%, 90%, 90%, 87%) and specificity (80%, 63%, 81%, 68%) with positive predictive value (61%, 51.4%, 69.2%, 54%) and negative predictive value (85.7%, 93.3%, 94.8%, 91%) respectively. On combing AFP with CARD9 then CARD 10 then COP, they showed (93%, 100%, 100% sensitivity), (57%, 46%, 57% specificity), with positive predictive value (49%, 45%, 51%) and negative predictive value (94%, 100%, 100%) respectively. On combing the 3 CARDs (CARD 9, CARD 10, COP), the sensitivity was 100%, specificity was 48%, with positive predictive value 47% and negative predictive value 100% as shown in figure 1. Conclusions: CARD9, CARD10 and COP had no role in liver fibrosis but may be involved in hepatic carcinogenesis processes and they could be used as markers for HCC diagnosis Citation Format: Abdel-Rahman N. Zekri, Abeer Bahnassy. Caspase recruitment domains: New potential markers for diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma in Egyptian patients. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1162. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1162