Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning 530021, China
Abstract:Objective To investigate the relationship between the single nucleotide polymorphisms of alpha fetal protein (AFP), serum AFP levels and the onset risk of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Two hundred and six patients in the Affiliated Tumor Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from July to December 2017 were enrolled, among which, 118 cases were HCC patients (HCC group), 88 cases were non-tumor patients (control group). The serum AFP levels were detected by chemiluminescence immunoassay, and the polymorphism of rs4024 and rs737241 of AFP gene was analyzed with SNaPshot technique. Results The frequency of genotype and allele at site rs737241 in the HCC group and control group had a significant difference (P < 0.05). The risk of HCC in the subjects carrying GA or AA genotype was 0.543 times as big as the individuals carrying GG genotype (P = 0.037, OR = 0.543, 95%CI: 0.306-0.965). The onset risk of HCC in individuals carrying A allele was 0.573 times as big as those carrying G allele (P = 0.008, OR = 0.573, 95%CI: 0.379-0.865). The serum AFP levels were correlated with age, Barcelona clinic liver cancer (BCLC) stage and Edmondson-Steiner (EDSON) grade (P < 0.05), the older the age, the lower the serum AFP levels (P = 0.001, OR = 0.172, 95%CI: 0.059-0.501); the higher the BCLC stage, the higher the serum AFP levels (P = 0.000, OR = 4.420, 95%CI: 2.003-9.752); the higher the EDSON grade, the higher the serum AFP levels (P = 0.033, OR = 2.335, 95%CI: 1.068-5.102). Conclusion The polymorphisms of rs737241 for AFP gene may be correlated with the genetic susceptibility of HCC. The serum AFP level may be correlated with the age, the development and deterioration of HCC.